Date: Mon, 21 Feb 94 21:13:44 EST
From: BRRB11A@prodigy.com (MRS ROSE L GEIGER)
Here's my BREAD MACHINE recipe for Pita Pockets. SOoooooo GOOD!
The original recipe comes from the cookbook PITA THE GREAT,
by Virginia T. Habeeb. (A super book about Pitas...HIGHLY
recommended! Just eliminate the fat!) Here's my adaptation of her Pitas
for the Zoji Bread Machine.
This same dough could probably be successfully mixed by hand. If anyone
happens to try, I'd love to hear about it.
WHOLE-WHEAT/OAT BRAN HONEY PITAS
1 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon salt (Substitue Morton's LITE or OMIT)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Oat Bran
1/2 cup Buckwheat Flour and/or rye flour
1 cup Unbleached All Purpose flour, plus a couple of TBS.
1 Gram of Vitamin C (Crushed)
2 TBS Gluten
1 TBS of Dry yeast
(Yes, you CAN use ALL whole wheat flour and other kinds of grains.
Personally, I like the texture better when I use some unbleached flour. I
DON'T recommend Soy Flour. I tried it and it made them bitter.)
Put in Bread maker on "DOUGH" cycle.
WHEN FINISHED:
Divide dough into little balls, I usally get between 16 and 22 balls
because we like little pitas.
Place the balls on a floured surface and cover them with slightly
damp towels while you roll out 1 ball at a time.
Gently press each ball flat with fingers, keeping it well
rounded. On a floured surface, use rolling pin to roll each
round from center to outer edge...to form perfect circle, not
quite 1/4 inch thick...3 to 5 1/2 inches for small . . . 8 1/2 in. or so,
for larger...try not to have any creases or cracks..or pitas
won't puff. (But not to worry, they're delicious even if they
DON'T puff!
As each loaf is rolled, place on floured surface and cover
with clean, dry towel; do not let the surface of the loaves
dry out. Let loaves rise in warm draft-free area for 30 to
45 minutes. Fifteen minutes before loaves have finished rising,
put a cookie sheet in oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place pitas on
hot cookie sheet and bake for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. Believe me, they bake in
a HURRY! You CAN turn them over to brown on both sides if you like, but I
don't think it's necessary. Remove from oven and wrap in a towel. When
cool, store in a plastic bag in the frig. I reheat mine by putting them in
the microwave for 20 seconds. Again, once you get the hang of this, it's a
snap. WELL WORTH THE EFFORT! They make GREAT little Pizzas! They're
SOUPER with a bowl of soup! FANTASTIC stuffed with salad, coucous and
raisins, and they make a great dessert when stuffed with fruit, a little
maple syrup, or WHATEVER! Hugs, Rose
kwhoney honey