Skillet Pita Bread

Time to experiment again, with another recipe from the skillet bread list! Let’s see if cooking pita bread in a skillet is more successful than baking in the oven. Either way, it’s a long process with lots of little steps. Is it worth it, or should I just buy them from the grocery store?

Cast Iron Skillet Pita Bread

Combine 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon yeast and 1 cup warm water. Stir, then set aside for 30 minutes.

Stir in 2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup water. Then stir in 1/2 cup more flour and 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Knead until smooth, then let rise for an hour.

Punch down; let rise for another 30 minutes.

Form dough into 10 2″ balls. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.

Roll each ball into a circle 1/4″ thick. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.

Heat skillet and brush lightly with oil. Carefully transfer each pita circle to the pan, one at a time. Cook for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes on each side.

This was a fun experiment, and although I wouldn’t consider the task either quick or easy, it didn’t take an exorbitant amount of time or effort. They don’t really create a “pocket” for inserting fillings, but they’re thick enough that you can slice them horizontally in half if you want to make a sandwich out of them. I would add a bit more salt, though, to the dough, and maybe use more flour when rolling them out. After resting for the 30 minutes, they had a tendency to stick to the counter. Overall, I’d consider this recipe a success; however, it will probably be a while before I make it again.