Homemade Soft and Puffy Pita Bread

1. Warm the water to just above room temperature, then stir in sugar and yeast and leave to bloom for around 5 minutes until frothy

2. Mix together flour and salt in a large bowl and slowly incorporate the yeast mixture and olive oil

3. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead until a fairly elastic ball of dough forms, then cover the dough and leave to prove at room temperature for an hour

4. Punch down the dough and separate into 6, forming even balls, then leave to prove for another half an hour and at this point pre-heat the oven with pizza stone in to your oven’s highest setting

5. Roll out the balls into thin circles around 15cm in diameter, then bake one at a time on the stone until completely puffed up and browning around the edges, and keep warm in a folded tea towel and serve

Tips

1. Ensure fairly high hydration of the dough and a very hot oven to achieve soft and puffy pita instead of thin and crispy ones

2. If you don’t have a pizza stone, use a cast iron pan or an upturned baking sheet

3. Serve with tzatziki, Greek salad, and a protein such as marinated chicken or halloumi for a complete meal