Wednesday, February 15, 2017

PITA BREAD for every day, 2 hours from idea to eating and did I mention how delicious they are? stuffed with EVERYTHING!



I have a couple of pressure cookers, one Nesco and one Instantpot.  I make mountains of tender fall off the bone fall apart meat in them pressure cookers.

Oh and yes, ALL electric pressure cookers are basically the same, don't fall for the hype, the only thing different is some preset buttons, the numbers of button and on yogurt function that you can recreate in a crockpot.  THAT being said, I make a lot of tender stuff and sometimes, you want something to HOLD the stuff that isn't a tortilla.  No offense to the tortilla fans.

Enter the PITA BREAD, yeah baby, I have been futzing with this recipe for a really long time and now it's ready for it's close up.  I prefer using pita for sandwiches and wraps because I have the choice of opening it and using the pocket OR not cutting it and having a fatter version, more like a naan, which by the way, if you spread these with butter and/or garlic you will think you're eating the best naan on earth.  BUT, as usual, I digress.

Another bread moment is that yes, you DO need to go get a small digital scale.  They are CHEAP and they really do help with consistency in breads.  Flour is scooped differently by all of us and using a scale is just easier, better and go get one.  I have the KAMENSTEIN DIGITAL FOOD SCALE  (NO, they don't pay me for recommendations, no one does) and I love it, I got it at Costco for $10? a couple of years ago, they have great customer service, I think I blogged about it.  THAT is the scale to get if you're looking for my input.

This recipe is fabulous because from thinking about it to eating it, it's about 2 hours and a bit maybe? depending on how warm your kitchen is.  This is a keeper and you need to go make it.


TRACY'S PITA BREAD

INGREDIENTS

375 grams all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
8 g yeast
250 +/- water, slightly better than room temperature
(IF you want to get chefy, you can add some dried flavorings, like onion powder or garlic powder or herbs)

IN a food processor, or large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Add 1/2 of the water and stir, mix and gradually add water until a soft, supple, slightly sticky dough forms.  Knead with machine (or by hand if you're so inclined) until it's a smooth dough.

Cover, leave to rise till double.  Maybe 45 mins?

PREHEAT OVEN TO THE HIGHEST SETTING with either unglazed quarry tiles in there (that's what i use) OR with a pizza stone OR with an inverted cookie sheet.  SEE, no reason not to make these.

Divide into 8 balls, approximately 80g each, leave to rest about 20 minutes.

Flour counter and roll each ball to 5-6 inch diameter and transfer in batches, to the screaming not oven.
Bake 3 minutes until puffy, remove to a towel.

EAT!

These are soft, chewy, have a great pull and a great flavor, yeah, it's all that.  Pretty easy and rather impressive if you ask me.

THE PICTURES

Mix the flour, yeast and salt together in a bowl.  Add about 3/4 of the water and start mixing on slow
    

Gradually add more water until a shaggy dough forms, turn the speed up to 4 and let it go about 5 minutes.  It will form a soft, smooth, slightly sticky dough. Add 1 TB flour to the bottom of the mixer to coat the dough, it's just a thing I do instead of flouring a board and rolling it :D
    

 See, it's not much flour at all, turn the machine on 1 and let it go 10 turns or so to coat the dough, form into a ball, see how it's not sticking to your hands now !?
    

 Pop the dough back into the bowl, there's a little flour in there still to help it not stick, cover it and leave it to double.  when it's almost doubled, TURN YOUR OVEN  (with the stones or cookie sheet inside) TO THE HIGHEST SETTING TO START IT PREHEATING, YOU NEED IT SCREAMING HOT. Mine goes to 500 so that's where it's set.  It usually takes about 30 mins to preheat so when the dough it almost doubled is a good time to do it.
Ahhh, look at that doubledness!
   

Divide the dough into 8, roughly 80 gm each.  Roll them into balls and cover loosely, leave about 15 mins to relax.
    

I dip the balls in flour then roll them out to about 5-6 inches around. I have a small oven so can only really cook 2 at a time, straight on the tiles.
    

Ooooh, oven puffiness!  I cook them 2 at a time for 3 minutes. They STAY puffy for a while out of the oven too, so exciting, yeah, I love puffiness!
     

AND inside, look at that huge pocket ready for stuffing with whatever you love, hot or cold, any meal of the day, these are soft, tasty, chewy, and absolutely a bread that needs to be on your short list repertoire!

go make them... now!

/enjoy






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