Fluffy Homemade Pita Bread (3 Easy Cooking Methods) Recipe
Learn how to make fluffy homemade pita bread with this easy recipe featuring three versatile cooking methods: regular oven, stovetop skillet, and pizza oven. This soft, airy pita is perfect for wraps, sandwiches, or dipping and requires just simple pantry ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 pita breads 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups (500 g) Bread flour
- ¾ tablespoon (7 g) Instant dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1¼ cups (300 ml) Water, room temperature
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Sift the bread flour into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the instant dry yeast, sugar, and salt and mix them together. Pour in the olive oil and room temperature water, then mix everything until a rough dough forms.
- Knead the Dough: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover it, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Shape the Dough: Punch down the risen dough to release the air. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (each about 100 grams) and shape each piece into a smooth ball. Cover and let them rest for 10–15 minutes. Then, on a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle about ½ cm (¼ inch) thick.
- Choose Your Cooking Method:
- Regular Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 485°F (250°C) or as high as possible. Place a baking tray upside down inside the oven to simulate a baking stone. Once hot, remove the tray, lay 3–4 pita circles on it, and bake for 3 minutes. Flip them and bake for another 1 minute until puffy and lightly golden. Remove and cover immediately with a towel to keep soft.
- Skillet / Stovetop Method: Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Cook one pita at a time for 1–2 minutes per side, or until puffed with golden spots. Remove each pita and cover with a towel right away.
- Pizza Oven Method: Preheat your pizza oven to 600–700°F (315–370°C). Bake the rolled pitas directly on the oven surface for 30–60 seconds until puffed and golden. Flip and cook a few more seconds, then remove and immediately cover with a towel.
Notes
- Make sure your water is at room temperature to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Covering the cooked pitas immediately with a towel helps retain moisture and keeps them soft.
- Using a preheated baking tray upside down mimics baking stone conditions in a regular oven.
- Resting the dough balls before rolling helps make the dough easier to shape.
- If you do not have a pizza oven or cast-iron skillet, the regular oven method works excellently for fluffy pita.
Keywords: Pita bread, homemade bread, Middle Eastern bread, easy bread recipe, soft pita, baking, stovetop pita
