Grilled Pita Bread

I just found out that making pita bread from scratch is incredibly easy, and of course it is incredibly delicious!

Fresh, warm, fragrant pita bread is totally superior to any kind of store bought bread I have found. Pitas are popular with the kids and very versatile. My personal favorite is topped with homemade hummus (try this recipe). My kids like it with peanut butter, and of course it is a  fabulous sandwich bread. It is pretty cool to watch them puff up during baking, which is what creates an air pocket that can be filled with all sorts of salads and meats for a complete handheld meal. You can bake these in the oven, but grilling them gives them even better flavor and texture. You can customize them to your liking by adding garlic or herbs into the dough.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
400 grams (14 ounces)  all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 cup milk (preferably whole milk), warmed to about 90 F.
Optional:1 tablespoon dry herbs such as oregano, rosemary, thyme
               1 teaspoon garlic powder


Preparation:
Mix all the dry ingredients together (including herbs and garlic if using) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with  the dough hook. Turn mixer on to low and add milk and oil to flour mixture. Increase speed to medium and knead dough for about 10 minutes. Add a small amount of additional flour if dough is very sticky. Proof the dough until almost double in size, 1-2 hours. Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a small ball. Keep balls covered while you work on rolling out the pitas.

Roll each ball into a small disc approximately 1/2 inch thick. Mine were a little larger than a hamburger bun as far as diameter. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and keep covered until ready to bake. You can prepare these several hours ahead and keep them refrigerated. In that case remove them from fridge 10 minutes before baking. 

Place each pita on a hot grill, directly on the grate. Bake about 2 minutes per side. They bake quickly so watch carefully so they don't burn. Transfer to plate or basket and cover with a clean dish towel, so the breads stay soft and warm. 

I made these specifically to use for this scrumptious grilled chicken sandwich, Get the recipe here.

Makes 8 small pitas