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Pocket Bread: Perfect for Stuffing

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Pocket Bread

Pocket Bread

Copyright 2010 Kevin D Weeks
I love pita bread. I stuff it with chicken salad, tuna salad, and egg salad. Pocket bread is my preferred bun for my stuffed lamb burgers and it's a handy way to serve my Moorish chicken. A Lebanese friend of mine used to stuff it with feta and then drizzle honey on it for breakfast - it's a great breakfast. Although pita is easy enough to buy, the best pita is fresh from the oven. Even better, you can have fresh bread in less than an hour. I got this recipe from my former colleague, Farmgirl Susan, and she, in turn, adapted it from a recipe by Bernard Clayton. (Larger image.) Makes 8 rounds.

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: Makes 8 rounds.

Ingredients:

  • 2-1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 3/4 tsp. instant yeast yeast
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 8 8-inch squares of aluminum foil for baking pitas

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer combine 1 cup flour with sugar and yeast. Add the oil, water and salt.

2. Thoroughly mix ingredients using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer set on low.

3. If using a stand mixer, switch to dough hook.

4. Stir in the rest of the flour 1/2 cup at a time. The dough should be a rough, shaggy mass that will clean the sides of the bowl. If the dough is moist, add a small amount of additional flour.

5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 6 minutes or increase mixer speed to medium and knead for 6 minutes.

6. Heat the oven to 500 degrees.

7. Form dough into a ball then flatten into a circle about 8 inches in diameter.

8. Using a large knife or dough scraper, cut the circle as you would a pie to create 8 equal pieces.

9. Roll into balls, dust lightly with flour, and cover with a damp tea towel. Let rest for 30 minutes.

10. Use the palm of your hand to flatten each ball into a disk. Finish with a rolling pin, flattening the dough into a disk about 6" in diameter and 3/16" thick. Their thinness is more important than making them perfectly round.

11. Place each round on a square of foil, and carefully place 3 or 4 of the rounds directly on the oven rack. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they are puffed.

12. When you remove the breads from the oven, stack them up and wrap them in a large piece of foil. This will keep the dough soft while the tops fall, leaving a pocket in the center. Note: one or two usually fail to puff, they still taste good, just no pocket.

These freeze beautifully and will thaw in 5 minutes. Reheat in a 375 degree oven wrapped in foil (best) or wrap in a double layer of paper towels and zap them for 15 seconds.

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