Pita Bread

Pita Bread

1 1/4 cups water

3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons instant yeast

Place all of the dough ingredients in pan according to manufacturer's directions. Set on dough cycle. When cycle is finished, remove dough to floured surface and punch down before shaping.  Shape the dough in to a single smooth ball and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece of dough in to a smooth round ball and then flatten in to a disc about 1-inch thick. Cover the dough with a damp towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Place baking stone or cookie sheet in oven while it's heating.  Flatten each piece of dough out into a circle that is about 1/4 to 1/3-inch thick.  Using a spray bottle filled with water, spritz the 475 degrees F oven and quickly place the first round of dough on hot cooking sheet or stone. Reduce heat to 450 degrees F and bake for 3 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. Repeat the entire procedure with each piece of bread. If baking surface is large enough, 2 pieces of dough may be baked at the same time as long as they are not touching each other.  Do not wait for the dough to brown as it will dry out too much. The dough after 3 minutes should look like a big balloon and still be white in color.  After the baked pitas have cooled and deflated, cover them with a damp towel. When all pitas are baked and completely cool, place them in a freezer zip-lock bag for storage.  Use within a day or two as they dry out fast. When you cut the pita in half you should have no trouble separating the two sides of the dough to form your pocket.