Love Mediterranean cuisine? What’s the first dish that comes to your mind on the very mention of the cuisine? If you ask us, the first dish we think of is pita bread. It’s a classic example of Mediterranean flatbread, traditionally stuffed with meat, vegetables or even falafels and is enjoyed like wrap (or sandwich). You will also find pita bread being served with hummus, baba ganoush et al in a mezze platter. Have you ever tried making this soft, spongy and delicious bread at home? Celebrity Chef Anahita Dhondy explains how to make this delicious bread at home.
Also known as Arabic Bread, Syrian Bread or Greek Pita Bread, it is typically made with maida (all-purpose flour); but you can also use multiple grains or whole wheat to add to the nutritious aspect of the dish. Although the dough prepared to make pita bread is somewhat similar to the ones used to make naan or pizza, a few techniques and ingredients used in pita bread recipe sets it apart. Unlike other kinds of bread, pita bread comes with a pocket, so that it can be stuffed with a variety of fillings.
Chef Anahita demonstrated the recipe on her Instagram handle and captioned it, “I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve just ended up eating roti and not pita and there are two thumb rules for it and what I’ve learnt along the way.”
Also Read: How to cook the perfect falafel
How To Make Pita Bread At Home – Recipe By Chef Anahita Dhondy:
To make this dish, we need flour, water, salt, sugar, active dry yeast and olive oil.
Start with boiling some water and adding sugar and yeast to it. Whisk it well and keep aside. In another bowl, add flour and salt, mix them properly and set aside.
Meanwhile, once the yeast mixture creates bubble, blend it with the flour along with some olive oil. Knead everything nicely until the dough clears the windowpane test. Now, set the dough in a well-oiled bowl and keep it aside for one hour.
Next, take the dough and make sure you punch the air out. Divide it into small roundels as per the desired quantity. You have to cover the roundels and allow them to rise for another 20 minutes.
For this recipe, it is very important to preheat your oven to its highest setting. Do not forget to keep a tray inside to preheat. Take your dough ball and roll it to about a 2-3mm thickness. Do not make it too thin because if you do that, it may turn out to be papad once baked.
In order to create some steam, place a bowl of ice water in the oven. Put your pita onto the hot tray and allow it to cook for maximum three minutes. And, you have freshly baked pita bread, ready to be relished.
Chef Anahita also mentioned the two thumb rules that she learned while making pita bread:
Watch The Detailed Recipe Video On How To Make Pita Bread At Home:
Also Read: High-Protein Diet: How To Make Desi-Style Rajma Hummus (Recipe Inside)
Try baking some pita bread at home and enjoy it home and fresh with some hummus alongside. Click here for some of our favourite hummus recipes.
Source link: https://food.ndtv.com/how-to/watch-how-to-make-the-classic-mediterranean-pita-bread-at-home-3293367