Allergy Friendly + Gluten Free + Vegan - Pita Bread

This pita recipe is best served immediately and warm. We love using them for mini pizzas! As always, they are gluten-free, allergy-friendly, and vegan.

 
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes  
Total Time: 3 hours (2 1/2 hours inactive)
Makes: 6 - 8 pitas

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups of Hungry Harry’s All-Purpose Flour Blend

1 cup of lukewarm water (105-110ºF, just above body temperature)

1 tablespoon of sugar

2 + 1/4 teaspoons or 1 packet of active dry yeast

1 tablespoon rice bran oil

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon fennel seed (toasted and crushed)


How-To

Combine water, sugar, yeast, and 1 cup of flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix well and let stand for 15 minutes. The mixture should be bubbly and foamy as the yeast activates.

Add another cup of flour, the oil, crushed fennel seed, and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Add 1/4 cup flour at a time if the dough is still sticky. This can vary greatly depending on the humidity of your kitchen.

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead by hand for 5 - 6 minutes, until smooth.

Form the dough into a ball. Lightly oil a bowl. Place the dough into the bowl and cover with a clean, dry, lint-free towel. Place the dough in a warm spot in your kitchen for two hours, until it doubles in size. This is called ‘proofing.’

Next, lightly flour a work surface with Hungry Harry’s All-Purpose Flour. Remove the dough from the bowl and cut into 8-10 equally sized pieces.

Roll each piece into a small ball. Place an inch apart from each other and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 - 45 minutes. This is called the second ‘proof.’

Using a rolling pin, roll each ball of dough out to about 1/4" thick, into circular or oval shapes. Rest again for 30 - 40 minutes - the longer the better, this stage helps form the pita "pockets."

Baking the Pitas (two methods):

  1. 1. Lightly brush a cast iron pan with rice oil. Heat the cast iron to medium-high. Put the pita dough into the pan one at a time. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned.
  2.  
  3. 2. Place a sheet pan before you preheat the oven to 500ºF. Leave the pan in the oven for 10 minutes after the oven reaches 500ºF. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and brush lightly with rice bran oil. Lay the pitas in the pan about 1-inch apart. Put the pan back in the oven and bake for 3 - 4 minutes, check the bottoms to ensure they don't burn, then flip to brown the other side.
  4.  

*The pitas taste best served warm, immediately. They will freeze fine after baking. Pitas will keep for a couple days in an airtight container.