Pita Pockets

Stuffing pita pockets is tough.

The fillings won't fit.

Everything looks smashed in.

Sometimes the whole thing busts open.

I quit buying them to avoid feeling like a failure. So when I saw this recipe at Tammy's Recipes, I was excited to try it out.

It was everything she claimed!

Homemade Pita Pockets (8 pockets/16 halves, 2 hours)

1 c warm water

1 TB oil

1 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

3 c flour

1 1/2 tsp yeast

**If you have a bread machine, put all ingredients into bread machine in order listed. Use the dough cycle. Then skip to Step 3.**

1. Combine water, oil, salt, and sugar. Mix in 1 cup of flour and yeast. Add remaining flour and knead to make a soft dough. (Add additional flour if necessary.)

2. Place dough in bowl, lightly oil the top, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, until almost doubled.

3. Punch down dough and place on lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 8 balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6-7 inch circle. As you roll out dough, place rounds on lightly floured surface and cover with a towel. Let rise for about 30 minutes, until slightly puffy. (They will still be thin) While rising, preheat oven to 500.

4. Place 2-3 rounds at a time, side-by-side, on a cooling wire rack. Bake for 4-5 minutes until puffy. Remove from oven as soon as any brown appears on the top.

5. Remove from oven and wrap breads in a damp kitchen towel to keep them soft. Allow breads to completely cool.

Notes:
*Pitas can be refrigerated in a ziploc bag for 2-3 days.

*This recipe can be halved with great results.

(You do not want your pitas to have dark brown spots on the bottom like in this picture. They will be stiff. If this happens, lessen the time in the oven.)

VERDICT:

Cost: Storemade: $2.98 for 6, Homemade: $0.55 for 8!

Overall:

These homemade pitas were surprisingly simple to make, especially with the bread machine. I will definitely continue making them. They were also delicious! They were so soft and pliable. I was able to fill the pitas easily without any cracking or breaking. The hole was plenty big! There was no comparison to storemade pitas.

Plus, it was fun to watch them puff up in the oven.

My inspiration: Tammy's Recipes' Homemade Pita Pockets