Pita Scoops Food

THE BEST AND SOFTEST HOMEMADE POCKET PITA BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a tabletop mixer that is fitted with the dough hook attachment, add all of the wet ingredients except for the olive oil. Allow the yeast to activate for 8 minutes. As soon as a puffy cloud forms at the top of the mixture, the yeast is active.
• Add the olive oil along with all of the dry ingredients and knead on low speed for 12 minutes.
• Lightly grease a large bowl with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and transfer the dough to the bowl. Toss to coat in oil and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in the warmest room of your home to rise until doubled in volume. About 1 hour.
• Cut the dough into 10 equal portions.
• Lightly flour your work surface and roll each portion of dough out into about 6-7-inch circles. Keep their thickness even. Use as much flour as needed to roll them out evenly.
• Sprinkle some semolina flour onto the work surface and place each rolled out piece of dough on it.
• Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rise for 30 minutes.
• Warm a cast-iron pan over medium heat.
• Cook each pita 20-30 seconds per side and continue cooking until it puffs, and the pita is fully cooked (see video).
• If the pita is not puffing up, increase the heat a little bit.
• Transfer the pitas to a plate and serve immediately.
• Leftover pitas can be stored in an airtight bag or container and kept in the freezer or the refrigerator until ready to use.

SALTED PITA WEDGES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 F.Cut the pita pieces into six wedges each. Lay the wedges on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush both sides generously with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides with salt, then bake them for 15 to 18 minutes until they're golden brown and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature with whatever dip you want!

PITA SCOOPS

Steps:

• Place pita wedges into a large bowl and drizzle with oil and toss until coated.
• Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour half of mixture over pita wedges. Toss and then top with the remaining mixture and toss again.
• Arrange in a single layer on a greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 15 degrees until golden. Cool completely and package in air tight containers.

CLASSIC HUMMUS WITH SPICED 'N BAKED PITA CHIPS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, add the chickpeas, tahini, oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth and creamy, adding some water to make it the consistency of dip. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more lemon, cumin, salt, and pepper. Scoop the hummus into a bowl. (May be covered and refrigerated at this point for up to 3 days.)
• When ready to serve, garnish with cumin, paprika, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with Spiced 'n Baked Pita Chips or crudite.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut the pitas into quarters and spread them onto the baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, zatar, and sea salt, to taste. Drizzle this mixture over the pita pieces and toss them together with your hands to coat them evenly. Bake them until golden brown and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let cool.

PITA

Steps:

• Make the dough:
• Combine the water and yeast in a large mixing bowl (if you have a stand mixer, use that bowl) and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Reserve ½ cup (60 grams) bread flour and add the remaining 4 cups to the mixing bowl along with the canola oil.
• If you have a stand mixer, fit it with the dough hook and knead the mixture on low speed for about 3 minutes, until a sticky but cohesive dough starts to form. Pause occasionally to scrape down the bowl if the flour is clinging to the sides and bottom or climbing up the hook. If you're making the dough without a stand mixer, mix it with a wooden spoon. In either case, loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
• With your stand mixer on low or while stirring by hand in the mixing bowl, add the salt and, over the course of 2 or 3 minutes, add the remaining ½ cup flour, 2 tablespoons at a time. The dough should be more tense; it will feel soft but tacky, although it will pull from the sides of the bowl.
• Flour your hands generously and use them to pull the dough onto a clean, unfloured work surface. Cup your hands around the dough, rolling it in short, circular strokes and using the sides of your hands to nudge it into a relatively smooth ball.
• Lightly wipe the inside of a large bowl with canola oil and place the dough inside, flipping it once or twice to coat. Loosely cover the bowl and let the dough rise at a warm room temperature for 1 hour.
• After 1 hour, the dough will be stretchy but very soft. Leaving it inside the bowl, stretch opposite sides of the dough over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter- turn and stretch the dough in the same way, then flip the whole mound of dough upside down and cover again. Let rise for 1 hour.
• Repeat this series of folds one more time, allow it to rise at room temperature for 1 hour, then tightly cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days. The longer the dough is refrigerated, the more flavor it will have. After this rise, it's ready to be shaped; bear in mind that, once it's shaped, it will need more time for a final rise, so plan ahead.
• Shape and cook the pita:
• Wipe a bit of canola oil on a large baking sheet. Dump the dough onto a clean, dry counter, and use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut it into eight equal pieces; make clean, decisive cuts rather than use a sawing motion, so you don't deflate all the air inside.
• Lightly flour your hands and place one palm directly over the dough ball, with all your fingertips touching the counter to make a sort of "cage" around the dough. Roll it in brisk, small circles on the countertop so it tightens itself into a smoother, more taut ball.
• Space the rounds of dough a few inches apart, seam side down, on the sheet, and roll to coat them lightly in oil. Tightly cover the sheet with plastic wrap so the dough doesn't dry out, and let them rise at room temperature for 2 to 4 more hours, until they're pillowy.
• Meanwhile, set a baking stone on the center rack of your oven and turn on the broiler. You're emulating a 700°F wood- burning oven, so you need to give the stone a good long while to preheat before you bake.
• When the dough is ready, lightly flour a work surface, and use a bench scraper or thin metal spatula to coax one piece into your palm; be sure you don't manhandle it or you'll force out the pockets of air that formed while it rose. Dust a little more flour on the top of the dough and onto your rolling pin.
• With firm, even pressure, briskly roll the dough a few times along its length. Flip it upside down, rotate it a quarter- turn, and roll it the same way, keeping it as round as possible. Repeat, dusting a little extra flour as needed, until it's about 6 inches across.
• This next part happens fast and furiously, so make sure you have no distractions-screaming children and natural disasters will have to wait. Use tongs or a good oven mitt to pull the oven rack with the baking stone partially out. Carefully pick up the pita, drape it over your palm, and slap it down onto the stone as if you're giving it a high- five (just be careful not to touch the hot stone!). Set a timer for 1 minute, and close the oven. Broilers vary in strength but all are quite hot, so don't turn your back on the oven or the pita may burn. Check on it- it should puff up and build in color, with some beautiful blistered spots. If it's still pale, close the oven and let it keep baking for 30- second intervals.
• Use tongs to flip the pita, and let it finish baking with the oven door cracked so you can watch it finish. Pull it out when the second side is as pretty as the first; this can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your broiler.
• Bake off the rest of the dough this way; as you get the hang of it, feel free to bake two pitas at a time. Serve these hot or at room temperature.