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1
Mix the water, the yeast, and one half the flour for about 2 minutes, I used my mixer with the dough hooks, and let it stand for at least ten minutes, or until the sponge gets bubbly maybe as much as half an hour.
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2
Fire up the mixer again, add the oil and salt, and then the rest of the flour half a cup at a time until the dough starts pulling cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
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3
The amount of the flour will depend on the humidity and things like that.
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4
Let the mixer run on for another five, six minutes or so, then the real*fun* begins.
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5
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board, if you have Wondra flour use that, and give it the*business*.
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6
Push away with the heels of your hands, fold over, give it a quarter turn and repete, keep this up as the days frustrations disappear in the warmth and sensuous feeling of well worked dough.
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7
Gawds, but I love making bread.
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8
Oil the dough lightly and put it in a covered bowl someplace warm till it doubles or better in volume.
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9
Turn it out on the board again, punch down and knead lightly.
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10
Now, put it in a storage bag at least 3 times the volume of the dough, suck most of the air out and put it in the fridge.
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11
Now you have the ready-to-use pita.
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12
To bake, pinch off a chunk about the size of a small lemon, let it warm up and then stretch it out to about say nine inches or so.
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13
Leave it on the board it will begin to rise slightly.
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14
There are two ways to bake the pitas.
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15
If you want to heat up the oven, crank it up to 450, If you have a chunk of quarry tile in there use it, or use an overturned baking sheet.
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16
Lay thepita dough gently and let it bake until it balloons up, Three minutes max.
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17
If it doesn't the tile wasn't sufficiently heated up it'll still be edible but not so nice.
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18
OR.
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19
On the stovetop get a large skillet, cast iron is best, over fairly high heat.
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20
When it's barely smoking, grease it very lightly, Use a paper towel with a bit of oil, then put the pita down gently.
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21
In about twenty seconds, turn it over.
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22
Cook about a minute till the bubbles begin to form, then turn it over again until it balloons fully.
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23
The total cooking time should be no more than three minutes or so and you've got your fresh pita.
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24
The dough should keep in the fridge for up to a week, just use as desired.
