Pita Pocket Bread is soft, chewy and so easy to make! The fresh puffy bread is perfect for so many things! Eat the pita bread with some yummy toppings, as a side or split the pita bread open and stuff it with all sorts of yummy things!
Pita Pocket Bread- What is it?
Pita Bread or Pita Pocket Bread is a soft chewy bread that is fluffy. There are many versions of pita bread, like my Naan or flatbread. This recipe will make a perfect pocket pita, or you can use it as a pita that is more like a flatbread, or bake them up a bit crispier to dip in some hummus or tzatziki.
Pita bread is considered a type of Greek food or Mediterranean food. It is delicious paired with Greek or Mediterranean dishes. But it also is so soft and chewy it really can be a side for anything.
We love Greek food and eat our Pita Pocket Bread with my Greek Chicken, Lemon Rice, Tzatziki (cucumber sauce) and a Greek Vinaigrette Salad. (The photo below is a a Greek meal that we love – all recipes are on the blog – click on the links).
Pita Bread is cooked at a high temperature, usually on a stone surface; a pizza stone works perfect!
To get your dough to puff up and become a pocket you need high heat and some moisture to create steam! The steam causes the pita bread to puff up and create the pocket. Keep reading to find out how to get the steam!!
NOTE: More authentic Greek Pitas will usually be flat and perfect for using it as a wrap.
Making Pita Bread Dough
The ingredients for Pita Pocket Bread is pretty much like any other bread recipe. Instead of water, warm milk is used. The milk will help the pita be soft and chewy instead of crispy and chewy.
You will need, milk, rapid rise (instant yeast), white sugar, salt, and all-purpose flour.
NOTE: I use my stand mixer but you can make it with a bowl, spoon and your hands.
Put your warm milk, sugar and instant yeast in your mixing bowl. Let the yeast “proof” and become bubbly and foamy. Then add the salt and flour.
Slowly add the flour. You will add between 3 to 4 cups. Add enough that it is slightly sticky and starts pulling away from the bowl as you mix it.
Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and let the dough raise for 3-4 hours. It should double in size.
Take your dough and place it on a lightly floured surface.
Next, divide the dough into 12 equal parts/balls.
Making and Baking Pocket Bread
Heat your pizza stone (or use a baking sheet turned upside down) at 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes before baking the pocket bread. I place my stone right on the center rack in the center of my oven. (Pretend like my oven is not dirty – and the pizza stone is just stained and has been used a lot over the years)!
On a lightly floured surface roll out the balls of dough to about 1/4 thick (just more thin-look at the photo below for reference). Roll them into a circle the best you can- they do not need to be perfect!
It doesnt have to be a perfect circle.
It shouldn’t be too thick, about 1/4 inch- if it is a bit thicker that is ok too!
Carefully take the rolled out dough and place it on top of the hot pizza stone. YOU DO NOT NEED TO GREASE THE STONE! IT SHOULD NOT STICK! (Do not worry if it doesn’t stay in the perfect circle – it will still taste delicious!
Steam is Needed to Make the Pocket
Before closing the oven, quickly spray the dough you just placed on the hot stone with cold water. I use the “mist” option on my squinty bottle.
Then quickly shut your oven. The water that is sprayed on the bread along with the hot stone and heat in the oven will create the steam needed for the bread to puff up, creating the perfect Pocket Bread!
The bottoms will start to get a bit golden, flip them so the other side can get golden and then take them out!
I like to rub butter on the top and bottom of my bread and I will even sprinkle garlic salt on the tops (both are optional.)
Repeat with all of the dough. If you do not want your bread puffy, don’t spray it! If it still happens to puff up, just squish it back down!
The Pocket
The puffy bread makes a perfect pocket to stuff with anything your heart desires!
Just take the pita and cut it in half and gently open it up.
Stuff the pocket with meats, cheeses, rice or veggies. Anything you like yours can stuff it with.
When I make out Greek food we stuff ours with Greek Chicken, Yellow Lemon Rice and tzatziki sauce.
I usually will make half pita pockets and the other half just flat pita bread.
I cut some into triangles for dipping.
An easy dinner or lunch you can make with the flat pitas are little mini pita pizzas!
NOTE: I used store bought pita in the photo below, but the homemade pitas in this recipe are even more delicious!
Pita Bread can be used in so many ways and is a yummy side dish for just about anything! Make it into a pocket and stuff it with your favorite meats, cheeses, veggies and more!
Stuff the pita pocket with my delicious Greek Chicken, Yellow Lemon Rice, and Tzatziki Cucumber Sauce. Or use just eat the bread as a side to the chicken, rice and sauce.
If you liked this recipe please take the time to leave a comment and a star rating below! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!
Try my Naan Bread that goes well with all of the Greek food shown in this post.
Try my Homemade French Bread for another homemade bread that makes a great side.
Here are some products I used to make this recipe!
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Pita Bread {AKA Pocket Bread}
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm milk 2% or 1 %- not skim milk
- 1 tsp dry active yeast
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3-4 cups all purpose flour
- additional flour for rolling out the bread
- butter for brushing on the bread after cooking
- spray bottle with water for spritzing dough in oven see notes
Instructions
- In a mixer, add your warm milk (I microwave my milk on high for about 1 1/2 minutes), sugar and yeast. Let the mixture sit until it becomes foamy.
- Add in your salt and 2 cups of your flour. Mix the ingredients together and slowly add in more flour until the mixture is slightly sticky but pulling away from the bowl and easy to handle. Continue mixing for an additional 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Leave the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. It will need to sit and raise for at least 3-4 hours.
- Heat your pizza stone in a 500° oven. Let the stone heat up as the oven is heating up. I find I have the best results if I let my pizza stone heat up for at least 30 minutes.*I place my stone on the center rack so it is in the center of the oven.
- After it has risen, take the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface and divide it in to 12 even pieces.
- Roll out each piece of dough on a lightly floured surface to about a 1/4 inch thick. Then carefully take the rolled dough and gently place it on top of your hot pizza stone in the oven. Quickly spray (lightly, it doesn't need to be soaked) the bread with the water from your water bottle and close the oven door. If you want flat pita bread do not spray the water on the bread. It still may puff, just squish it down if you want it flat.
- Watch the bread closely. It will need to cook on the first side for about 2 minutes. It will start to bubble and then will puff up! (this is what makes the pocket!) Flip the bread to the other side and allow it to get a few brown spots on it or until it is done to your liking.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it rest on a plate. Brush with butter while it is still warm. The puffed bread may deflate and this is ok. Cut the bread in to triangles for a side dish or for dipping or cut it in half to make 2 pocket breads for stuffing.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
