Pita Bread(Unleavened)

This is the ancient version of pita bread, made without yeast. Just flour, salt, and warm water come together into a smooth dough that gets divided, rolled thin, and cooked on a hot griddle until brown bubbles appear.

Without yeast for chemical leavening, these pitas rely entirely on steam to puff slightly during cooking. Rolling each round as thin as possible is critical, thicker dough won’t cook through evenly and stays gummy. Aim for a 6 to 7 inch round, then gently stretch each one even thinner just before it hits the griddle.

Wrapping the cooked pitas immediately in damp towels is the key to keeping them soft and pliable. Exposed to air, they stiffen within minutes into crackers. Towels trap residual steam and finish the cook gently while keeping them flexible enough to fold around fillings.

Pro Tips

• Knead the full 5 minutes for proper gluten development, this is what gives the bread its characteristic chew.
• Let the dough balls rest 5 to 10 minutes after shaping, this relaxes the gluten and prevents the rounds from springing back when rolled.
• Cover unrolled balls and rolled rounds with damp towels to prevent the surface from drying out.
• Get the griddle properly hot before cooking, a cool surface gives pale, leathery pita instead of bubbled and golden.
• Stack cooked pitas in damp towels immediately, this is non-optional for soft, foldable bread.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the dough for a richer, slightly more tender bread.
• Mix half whole wheat flour with all-purpose for a heartier, more rustic pita.
• Sprinkle with za’atar or sesame seeds before cooking for a Middle-Eastern-style flatbread.