Pita bread and children......

go together well i'd say! the best filling holders ever!! can be filled with whatever you tummy desires... they are easy to make and i confess that i love to watch them turn into little space ships! tooo fun i say!! for anyone who hasn't made them, make sure your oven is clean or your going to smoke the house out!! they need to be baked at a high heat, like pizza or other types of flat bread.. i have a pizza stone that i use.. i found one on sale so snapped it up right away, but you can use any kind of UNGLAZED tile or brick.. the stone/tile/brick needs to be HOT..

what i wouldn't give for a 'real' oven... over at Masonary Stove Builders are some cool ovens and some great info.. i think i could almost be in heaven, i truly love to bake bread!

here is my Pita Bread recipe:

preheat oven and tiles 450 or 500!!
cook 4-5 mins

in large bowl mix

1 cup 115 deg. water
1tbsp. yeast
1 tbsp sugar

let sit for 5 mins.
stir in

2 cups flour or enough to make a stiff dough.

knead 10 mins or until smooth and elastic then cover in greased bowl, let rise for 1hr or until doubled.

punch down, let rest 5 mins, cut into 8 pieces, roll each into a ball
flatten with fingers to 4 inch rounds

let rest 5 to 10 minutes

roll out each until 6 inches across and approx 1/4 inch thick
let rise on floured board for 30 minutes

to cook.... place on preheated unglazed tiles, or pizza stone, careful not to tear dough rounds.. cook approx 4-5 mins..
cover with cloth when cooling...

so easy, so tasty!

i also made 'regular' bread as well.. well 'regular' is a loose term as per usual i experimented! Fortunately it turned out very good, and i'm quite please with the result..

i'm like whole wheat bread, but it doesn't always like me, so i keep trying different combinations of 'white' flour breads, with a kick.. i usually will put in a cup or 2 of other types of flours (usually gluten free items) like chick pea, or millet, or maybe quinoa or coconut flour.. whatever i happen to have handy..

Regular Bread

mix together and let 'grow' for 5 10 mins
1/4 cup warm water
1-1/2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2 tablespoons bread flour
1-1/2 teaspoons white sugar

soak
1 cup quick cooking oats
in
2-1/4 cups warm water

add, mixing with beater or by hand
1 cup whole wheat flour ( i used 1/3 cup of millet flour, 1/3 cup of coconut flour, 1/3 cup of quinoa flour and a tbsp of Xanthum gum)
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp. black strap molasses

slowly add in approximately

5 cups bread flour (depending on 'weather')

knead for 10 mins or until smooth and elastic
let rise until doubled in bulk
punch down cover and let rest 10 mins
form into 3 loaves.. let rise for about an hr (double in bulk)
bake at 350 for 35 mins or brown on tops (hollow sound as well ) and turn out on racks to cool..