Description
Soft, fluffy, and delightfully chewy, this homemade pita bread puffs up beautifully and is perfect for stuffing, dipping, or simply enjoying warm with olive oil. With just a few pantry staples and a hot skillet, you can create a Middle Eastern favorite right in your kitchen.
Ingredients
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
1. In a bowl, mix warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2. Add flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix until combined, then knead for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then flatten into 1/4-inch-thick rounds using a rolling pin.
5. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high. Cook each dough round for 1–2 minutes per side until puffed and golden brown.
Notes
Make sure the skillet is *very hot* before adding dough—this helps create the signature puff.
Don’t roll the dough too thin—1/4 inch is ideal for the pocket to form properly.
For best results, rest the dough after shaping for 5 minutes before cooking or baking.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Skillet or Baked
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pita
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 240mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: homemade pita, pita bread, flatbread, yeast bread, skillet bread