Middle Eastern Round Bread (Pita)

No Middle Eastern meal is complete without these traditional slightly leavened, round, soft breads. Sometimes called Khobz, or pocket breads, they are becoming increasingly popular in the west. Try baking them yourself.

Distinct from traditional breads, these breads rise only once and are then baked at a very high temperature for a short time. During the process the dough separates to form the pouch or hollow, enabling the bread to be later split in half and stuffed. Traditionally, this bread is made with strong white flour, but if you wish you can substitute whole meal flour or softer white flour (you might then need to adjust baking time). Pita breads can be served with a traditional Middle Eastern meal (see section in the book on menu planning), filled with your favorite salad along with Falafel, or used as a base for Asparagus and Pine Nut Pizza.