MAKES EIGHT 8-INCH PITAS
Pita bread is always great to eat, but it’s utter magic to make. For real food geeks, it’s all about attaining the perfect balloon-like puff while you bake. This not only looks awesome but ensures that your pita bread will have a perfectly formed pocket once it cools.
The Baking Steel can help you nail the recipe so it looks like it came out of a commercial oven. The superhot surface allows the steam to rise through the pita, making it puff up. Once removed from the heat, the pita will slowly deflate, but you’ll be left with that perfect pocket inside, ideal for filling with sandwich fixings or scooping up hummus.
420 grams (3⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
1 gram (¼ teaspoon) active dry yeast
16 grams (1 tablespoon) fine sea salt
1½ cups water, warm (about 105°F)
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, and salt.
2. Pour in the warm water. Stir briefly to combine, then knead by hand on a lightly floured work surface for about 6 to 8 minutes (alternatively, mix for 3 to 4 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment on medium speed) until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add a little more flour if it is too wet.
3. Transfer the mixture to an oiled bowl; cover with a damp, clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature for 24 hours.
4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, and divide into 8 equal portions. Form the dough into balls, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough balls into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (roughly 8 inches in diameter).
5. Let the rounds of dough rest on a lightly floured surface for 30 minutes; they will puff up slightly.
6. Meanwhile, position a rack in the middle of your oven and place the Baking Steel on top. Preheat your oven to 450°F for 45 to 60 minutes.
7. Using a pizza peel, launch the dough portions a few at a time onto your hot Baking Steel; through the oven window, watch the magic of your pita puffing up. Cook on the first side about 3 minutes, then flip using a spatula or tongs and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the second side. Repeat using the remaining portions of dough. As you remove them from the heat, stack them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft (they will deflate as they cool).
8. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze for up to 1 month.