Whole Wheat Pita Bread

There isn't another bread in the world that is more versatile than pita. It makes a delicious base for pocket sandwiches filled with falafel or salads. You can use it instead of a traditional pizza crust. There isn't a more perfect delivery vehicle for dips like tzatziki, hummus, or even tabouleh salad. You can even slice it, season it, and bake it to make lowfat homemade pita chips. But until you've eaten homemade pita bread, you have no idea how good pita can be!

While it used to be fairly difficult to find pita in your local market, it's booming popularity means you can find it anywhere. So why do I care if you make your own pita? Salt. According to a recent survey released by the Centers for Disease Control the number one source of sodium in the American diet is not chips, nuts, or even french fries, it's bread and rolls. Bread recipes don't typically call for a lot of salt, but when we purchase prepared foods at the deli, the supermarket, or a restaurant, they add plenty of extra salt for us. Consuming too much dietary sodium can contribute to high blood pressure which increases your risk of heart attack or stroke. I have said this before and I'll say it again, the beauty of making this as home is you control what goes into it - baking your own bread is an easy way to slash the amount of sodium in your diet.

You may be surprised to learn that pita is probably the easiest yeast bread you can make, so it's a perfect recipe for beginning bread bakers. While it may seem like making homemade pita should be complicated, I promise it isn't. Pita is a forgiving dough that doesn't require a lot of extra fussing to turn out a high-quality product, but then again I'm perfectly happy to eat pita that isn't perfectly circular. Just remember to be as forgiving with your pita-rolling skills when you start, roll the dough thin, and whatever you do don't open the oven door during baking. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Serves 8
2 tsp yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 T. honey
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 T. olive oil

Mix yeast, water, and honey together and let sit for 5-10 minutes. In a mixing bowl or a stand mixer with dough hook attachment, combine flours and salt. Add water mixture and olive oil; mix well. If dough is too loose, add an additional 1/4 cup bread flour. When dough comes together cover mixing bowl with a towel and set in a warm place to rise for 90 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead for 1-2 minutes until dough is less sticky and elastic. Cut dough into 8 pieces and roll into balls using lightly floured hands. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into 8-10 inch rounds that are at 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Place two rolled pita onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until rounds have puffed slightly; do not open oven door while baking. Serve warm.