Pita Bread
There are SO MANY things out there that just taste better when you make them at home. It’s especially nice when you can say that about something that’s really easy to make as well. These pitas fit into both of those categories. They taste amazing and they’re surpringly easy to make.
I’ve made these a couple times in the past year and every time I do, I say that I should make them more often. I would love to make them with whole wheat flour too. We love to fill these guys with anything you would normally put in a pita. I like to make sandwiches with them for our lunches.
If you want to make these into pita chips, just cut them up and bake them at 350 for about 10 minutes or until browned. You can also spread some olive oil and seasoning on the chips before you bake them if you want.
Two Years Ago: Fourth of July Layered Cookie Cake
Pita Bread
These homemade pitas are easy to make and delicious! You'll never want to buy them at the store again.
Yield: 8 pitas
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar or honey
1 packet yeast (or, if from bulk, 2 tsp yeast)
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water, at room temperature
2 Tbsp olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, or shortening
Directions:
If you are using active dry yeast, follow the instructions on the packet to active it. Otherwise, mix the yeast in with the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the olive oil and 1 1/4 cup water to the flour mixture and stir together with a wooden spoon. All of the ingredients should form a ball. If some of the flour will not stick to the ball, add more water.
Once all of the ingredients form a ball, place the ball on a work surface, such as a cutting board, and knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes. If you are using an electric mixer, mix it at low speed for 10 minutes.
When you are done kneading the dough, place it in a bowl that has been lightly coated with oil. Form a ball out of the dough and place it into the bowl, rolling the ball of dough around in the bowl so that it has a light coat of oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.
When it has doubled in size, punch the dough down to release some of the trapped gases and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, cover the balls with a damp kitchen towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes. This step allows the dough to relax so that it'll be easier to shape.
While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to preheat as well. If you do not have a baking stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while you are preheating the oven. This will be the surface on which you bake your pitas.
After the dough has relaxed for 20 minutes, spread a light coating of flour on a work surface and place one of the balls of dough there. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on top of the dough and use a rolling pin or your hands to stretch and flatten the dough. You should be able to roll it out to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. If the dough does not stretch sufficiently you can cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.
Open the oven and place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking surface. They should be baked through and puffy after 3 minutes. If you want your pitas to be crispy and brown you can bake them for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, but it isn't necessary.
Recipe from The Fresh Loaf
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Love these, I could eat the whole batch myself. So much healthier than the boxed crackers, that have all those ingredients I can’t pronounce!
beantownbaker — January 16th, 2013 @ 5:27 pm
I completely agree. We avoid processed foods as much as possible. I was glad to find a snack that Hubby loves so much and is *so* easy to make at home.
These cheez its are stunning looking! They must be very cheesy and crispy! I really need to make this for my husband soon!
beantownbaker — January 17th, 2013 @ 4:51 pm
They definitely are! Hubby convinced me to make more this weekend already 🙂
looks delicious – how do you think this would work with other cheeses? I’m thinkin’ pepper jack…
beantownbaker — January 18th, 2013 @ 2:29 pm
I would think other cheeses would work pretty well. I wouldn’t use anything too soft, but pepper jack should work. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
These look fantastic. Great photos. I’m going to make some this weekend. Please check out the food blog I have just started http://www.surreyKitchen.wordpress.com. Thanks!
beantownbaker — January 21st, 2013 @ 3:24 pm
Let me know what you think of them if you do make them!
I HATE pickles. They are awful, but I definitely love cheese crackers. I especially love white cheddar cheez-its 😉
beantownbaker — January 23rd, 2013 @ 2:27 pm
You should definitely make these then – they’re seriously so good!
beantownbaker — January 23rd, 2013 @ 8:34 pm
I don’t even eat my french fries that touched the pickle at restaurants. And I LOVE french fries!
I have always thought making your own crackers would be too much work. Your version looks straightforward and delightful. I’m sure the taste is worth all the effort!
beantownbaker — January 23rd, 2013 @ 10:27 pm
I agree, it was definitely much easier than I would have guessed. My sister, who never bakes, has already made these twice!
I don’t like fries that touched pickles either! Not only do they then taste like a pickle, but they get soggy and I prefer crunchy fries!
Um… Cheez-Its are one food I cannot have around. Once I open the box, I pretty much eat the whole thing. I love this homemade version!
Hello! I am more of a baker than a cook, so I was very nervous about what to make for my boyfriend’s Superbowl party! Found this recipe, and just made it! SUPER easy! I am really impressed by how much it tastes like a cheez-it… but better! I like this recipe and hope to try it with other cheeses! Thanks!
PS. I did use the silicon baking mat and that made it a lot easier. Good point to follow!
beantownbaker — February 3rd, 2013 @ 9:45 pm
So glad you enjoyed them!! I’ve already made them a handful of times with various cheeses and spices thrown in. They’ve all been delicious.
Oh my.Jen you done it.My little girl loves cheez it.I throwed the cheddar cheese(little bite size) once, don’t know what to make with it .I wish i had seen this earlier 🙁
Any was can we make these with bite size cheese sticks.?
MyKitchenOdyssey
beantownbaker — November 7th, 2013 @ 10:07 am
I’m sure you could use this dough to make any shape you’d like…
Thanks for your reply .I meant the cracker barrel cheese ,Can i use this cheese to bake cheez its.
MyKitchenOdyssey
beantownbaker — November 24th, 2013 @ 5:37 pm
I think any cheese that comes in a block would be fine for this recipe.
Many thanks jen.I will be doing it very soon.
MyKitchenOdyssey