Pita Bread - Part 2

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Pita Bread - Part 2
Categories: Breads, Ethnic
Yield: 16 Pitas

Ingredients in Part 1

The dough will smell slightly fermented after a few days, but this simply
improves the taste of the bread. Dough should be brought to room
temperature before baking. This amount of dough will make approximately 16
pitas if rolled out into circles approximately 8 to 9" in diameter and less
than 1/4" thick. You can also of course make smaller breads. Size and shape
all depend on you, but for breads of this dimension the following baking
tips apply: Place unglazed quarry tiles, or a large baking stone or two
baking sheets, on a rack in the bottom third of your oven, leaving a 1" gap
all around to allow air to circulate. Preheat oven to 450~. Divide dough in
half, then set half aside, covered, while you work with the rest. Divide
dough into eight equal pieces and flatten each piece with lightly floured
hands. Roll out each piece to a circle 8 to 9" in diameter. You may wish to
roll out all eight before starting to bake. Cover rolled out breads, but do
not stack. Bake 2 at a time (or more if your oven is larger) directly on
quarry tiles or baking sheets. Bake each bread for 3 or 4 minutes, until
the bread has gone into a full "balloon" or until it is starting to turn
lightly golden, whichever happens first. If there are seams or dry bits of
dough ~ or for a variety of other reasons - your bread may not go into a
full "balloon". Don't worry, it will still taste great. The more you bake
pitas the more you will become familiar with all the little tricks and
pitfalls, and your breads will more consistently "balloon." But even then,
if you're like us, it won't always "balloon" fully and you won't mind
because the taste will still be wonderful. When baked, remove, place on a
rack for about five minutes to let cool slightly, then wrap breads in a
large kitchen towel (this will keep the breads soft). When first half of
the dough has been rolled out and baked, repeat for rest of dough, or store
in refrigerator for later use, as described above. You can also divide the
dough into more, smaller pieces if you wish, to give you smaller breads.
Yield: 16 pitas about 8" in diameter, or more smaller breads. Source:
Bakers' Dozen, Alford and Duguid, TVFN. MM Waldine Van Geffen
vghc42a@prodigy.com.

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