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Lebanese Pita Bread

1 1/2 c HODGSON MILL OAT BRAN HOT CEREAL
1 pkg. HODGSON MILL ACTIVE DRY YEAST
2 to 2 1/2 c HODGSON MILL UNBLEACHED WHITE FLOUR
1 1/4 c very warm water (115 degrees F)
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
no stick cooking spray

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade or in a blender, mill the Oat Bran Hot Cereal until fine and flour-like, about 2 minutes. Blend the Oat Bran Hot Cereal with the yeast and 1/2 cup of the flour. Combine the warm water, oil, and salt.  Pour over the flour-yeast mixture.

Spray a medium sized bowl with no stick coating spray.

Beat at low speed in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook or in a food processor for 1 minute, scraping sides of the bowl. Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed to incorporate as much of the remaining flour as possible.

Turn onto a floured board and knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a smooth, satiny dough. This takes 5 to 7 minutes. Put dough in prepared bowl, cover and allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes. Dough should be very warm and light to touch. Knead down and divide into 12 equal portions. Cover, and allow dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. To roll out pitas: cut 12 pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper; place one side of the paper on the bottom surface of a 6 inch tortilla press or a flat plate. Place pita dough on paper, then fold paper over it. Use tortilla press, a flat plate, or a rolling pin to flatten dough to form a smooth, 1/8 inch thick pitas. Make sure the pitas have no creases or folds.

Place the pitas, 4 at a time, on oven racks. The pitas should be distributed evenly around the oven. Bake for 3 minutes to set the dough. Then, turn pitas over and bake for 2 to 3 minutes more. The pitas brown and puff up as they bake.* Allow the oven to reheat for 5 minutes between baking periods.

To serve, open pitas to form pockets. Stuff pocket with meats, sauteed vegetables, or other fillings. If the pocket does not open easily, slit with a sharp knife.

* To ensure that pitas puff up, the dough must be warm, the pitas must be distributed evenly throughout the oven, and the oven must be very hot.

Makes 12 pitas. Each pita: 170 calories: 2 g dietary fiber, 1 g soluble fiber; 25 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 5 g fat (30 % calories from fat): 0 mg cholesterol; 245 mg sodium; 32 mg potassium; 6 mg calcium.

Pita Bread, also called Syrian, Armenian, Middle East bread, and pocket bread, can be served in hundreds of delicious ways. It's very good just toasted and buttered. Stuffed with cheese, marinated vegetables, or chopped meat, it also makes wonderful portable sandwiches. This recipe calls for Hodgson Mill Oat Bran Hot Cereal, but feel free to experiment with Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Graham Flour, or Hodgson Mill Unbleached White Flour.

This recipe, as well as many other ethnic breads, is available in our Blue Ribbon Breads Cookbook.