Homemade Pita Bread

1. In saucepan, combine water and apple juice and heat just until warm
(about 115 deg). Put warm liquid in large mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over
liquid and allow to dissolve. Add 2 cups flour and the 6 eeaspoons
whole-wheat gluten flour, if desired; beat at medium speed of electric
mixer for 3 minutes. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in
size, about 20 min.

2. Add salt, beat in as much flour as can be beaten vigorously by hand for
6 minutes. Mix as much remaining flour as can be handled when mixing by
hand and enough so that dough can be removed from bowl onto floured
surface. Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 min.

3. Knead gently and rhythmically for 10-15 minutes.
Keeping dough rolled in a ball. add the remaining flour, a little at a
time, kneading after each addition. Be careful not to add too much flour,
or the bread will be dry. Keep dough slightly sticky to the touch. Cover
with a towel and let rest 10 minutes.

4. At this point, the dough may be shaped into pita bread. loaves of
bread, pizza dough, buns, etc. to make pitas, cut dough in half with
lightly floured hands, roll each half into rope 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
Cut each roll into pieces and roll with hands into 2 to 3 inch balls,
depending on the desired size of pocked bread.

5. Place each dough ball on flat surface and with a lightly floured
rolling pin, roll out from center until dough forms a circle 1/4 inch
thick. Gently dip bottom of dough in cornmeal and place on back of cookie
sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise at room tempeerature for 15
minutes.

6. The best way to bake pitas is on flat quarry tiles, which can be
purchased at any rock and stone outlet.
A cast ironskillet turned upside down also works well, but limits you to
making one pita at a time. A thrid option, less satisfactory than the
others but still workable, is a cookie sheet turned upside down.

7. Place one of the three items mentioned above in the oven and preheat to
500 degrees. Remove top oven rack for convenience in removing pitas later.

8. Gently but quickly slip a raised pita onto a spatula and place it on
the hot tile, skillet or cookie sheet. Once it touches the hot surface, you
cannot move it, so aim carefull. Repeat with as many pitas as your baking
method will accomodate. Close oven and bake for 3-4 minutes or until
lightly browned. If your baking the pitas on a cookie sheet you may see
very few or perhaps no bubbles appear – do not overcook just because
bubbles are small and not uniform. If you’re using tiles or a cast iron
skillet, you will be able to watch pockets form immediately.

9. Remove pitas carefully from oven with spatula and place on cooling
rack. Cut each pita in half while still warm. If difficult to cut. Place
pita in a damp towel for 5 minutes, and then it will cut nicely.

10. To store: Place in plastic bags, 3 or 4 to a bag, while still
slightly warm to keep soft. May be frozen.