Pitta

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

The only thing better than good falafel is good falafel served with homemade pitta. This surprisingly easy flatbread is a great way to impress dinner guests. Throw this together with some grilled veggies and hummus and you've got yourself a mediterranean feast.

Pita is also a great thing to make if you (like me) are only just starting to dip your toes into the intimidating world of baking. It is a forgiving recipe that does not require exact measurements and allows you to get familiar with techniques like kneading and proofing your dough.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast, 
• 1 cup warm water, 
• 3 cups all purpose flour, 
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 
• 1 1/2 tsp salt.

Method:

• Add yeast to a large bowl along with warm (but not hot!) water.
• Mix to combine and leave for 15 minutes. This allows the yeast to activate. After 15 minutes the mixture should be slightly foaming and it should smell like beer. 
• Add 1 cup of flour and mix to combine until you have a very runny, batter-like dough. Add the salt and olive oil and mix through.
• Slowly add the remainder of the flour, while mixing. Eventually the dough will get very thick, at which point you should start using your hands to mix the dough.
• Once all the flour has been added and a cohesive dough has begun to form, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and begin to knead, folding the dough onto itself and pressing down on it with the palm of your hand.
• Continue to knead for 10 to 15 minutes. You are looking for a consistency that is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. If the dough is sticking to your hands and the surface, add more flour and continue to knead. Likewise, if the dough is too tough and crumbly, add some more water and continue to knead.
• Once the dough is smooth and pulls away cleanly from the surface, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.
• Place the bowl in a warm area (such as the inside of a turned off oven) and allow it to proof for 2 hours. After this amount of time, the dough should have doubled in size.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. At this point, you do not want to add too much more flour to the dough but you do not want the dough sticking to the surface.
• Divide the dough into eight equal pieces. Form the pieces into balls.
• Lightly dust each dough ball with flour and place down on the surface. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes to an hour. The dough will continue to rise in this time.
• Uncover the balls and, using a floured rolling pin, roll out flat. You want to roll them quite thin but not so thin that they become translucent.
• Place a pan over medium high heat with a light drizzle of olive oil.
• Place the rolled out dough directly onto the pan. Grill for 2-3 minutes on one side or until large bubbles start to form.
• Flip over and cook the other side for an equal amount of time.
• Remove from the pan and place the pitta under a towel to keep warm. Repeat until all of the pittas have been cooked.
• It is important to note that as you cook each pitta, your pan is getting hotter and hotter. Therefore the cooking time for each one will reduce slightly. Be careful that you do not over cook your last few pittas. 
• Serve while still warm.