Description
This recipe for Sourdough Pita Bread produces soft, flavorful pitas with a delightful tang from the sourdough starter. Using an overnight fermentation enhances the depth of flavor and creates perfect pockets when baked on a preheated baking stone at high heat. These pitas are great for sandwiches, dipping, or serving alongside Mediterranean dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup active sourdough starter (stirred down)
- 1 cup warm water (between 80-90°F)
- 3 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour (using scoop + level method)
- ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Mix Starter and Flour: Combine 1 cup warm water, 1 cup sourdough starter, and 2 cups flour in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix with the paddle attachment until fully combined. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.
- Add Remaining Ingredients and Knead: Add the remaining 1 ½ cups flour, ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt, and 3 tablespoons olive oil to the bowl. Switch to the dough hook attachment and knead the dough for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Rest and Stretch & Fold: Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. After resting, perform a stretch and fold on the dough. Repeat the cycle of resting and stretch/fold a total of three times to develop gluten strength.
- Refrigerate Overnight: Cover the dough tightly and place it in the refrigerator to ferment overnight, anywhere from 12 to 72 hours. This slow fermentation enhances flavor and texture.
- Bring to Room Temperature: Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for about 3 hours before shaping.
- Preheat Oven and Baking Stone: Place a baking stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F to ensure a hot surface for baking the pitas.
- Divide and Shape Dough: Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each into a smooth ball. Allow the dough rounds to rest for 20 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Roll Out Circles: Just before baking, roll each ball into a 6-inch circle about ¼ inch thick. Thickness is more important than diameter for proper puffing.
- Bake the Pitas: Place the rolled circles onto the preheated baking stone. Bake at 500°F for 3-5 minutes or until the pitas puff completely and start to turn golden brown.
- Wrap the Pitas: Remove the baked pita from the oven and immediately wrap them in a clean kitchen towel, then slide into a plastic bread bag to keep them soft while baking the remaining pitas.
Notes
- Use the scoop and level method to measure flour for accurate results; avoid packing the flour.
- The dough can ferment in the fridge for up to 3 days, which improves flavor complexity.
- Thickness of the rolled dough is key; aim for about ¼ inch to achieve perfect puffing and pocket formation.
- Using a baking stone preheated to high temperature simulates traditional pita baking and creates the puffed pocket.
- Wrapping the pitas after baking helps retain moisture and softness.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes per batch
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: sourdough pita bread, sourdough bread, Mediterranean bread, homemade pita, pita pockets, easy bread recipe
