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| Fresh, Home Made Pita, made on the Stove Top! |
And, I also recognize that much of the world either doesn't have an oven, or prefers not to use their oven. I recently read in the Wall Street Journal that 80% of the time when 20-somethings cook with their stove, they're not using the oven.
So, I decided it was time for a stove top Pita (I strongly suspect that I'm not the first person to make Pita over a "fire" rather than in the oven, but perhaps my forebears didn't blog about it ; ) They're SO easy to make, delicious, and much less intimidating than messing with the oven. They are a little chewier than a traditional Pita- but in my mind, that's not a bad thing.
Making it is SO easy!
Simply use your Five Minute Artisan Dough (Whole Wheat Artisan bread will also work here)
Stove Top Pita Bread
Heat a 10" Non-Stick Skillet on Medium Heat
Pull off a 1/4" piece (the size of a small plum), and roll it into a six to eight inch circle (just like rolling out pizza). This really is easy - my young daughter does these with me : )
Place it in the hot, dry skillet & cover with a lid (a glass lid is best, as you can watch the bubbles form, but it's not an absolute necessity).
Allow bread to cook till large bubbles form, about 3 minutes. (If bubbles aren't big enough, you won't get a pocket.)
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| Allow Bread to form large bubbles before turning |
Flip bread (tongs or a spatula may be used) and replace lid. Cook another minute or two on the other side, till the bread turns into a big pillow.
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| Stove Top Pita developing pocket. |
Remove bread, place on plate, and repeat.
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| Finished Pita, ready to remove to plate. |
I like to do this with two skillets, that way I can make a lot of bread fast (especially with my little helper!)
I do not get EVERY one to puff - haven't mastered it to that degree - but generally the ones that don't puff can be split open with a knife, or simply used like the commercially-available pocketless pitas.
This is being shared on Healthy Vegan Fridays, The Thriftiness Miss, A Peek into My Paradise, Making Your Home Sing Monday, My Meatless Monday, In and Out of the Kitchen, Teach me Tuesdays, Modest Monday, Anti-Procrastination Tuesday, Teaching What is Good, Wise Woman, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, Penny Pinching Party, Hearts for Home
A great way to make pita in a pan (ha, ha sounds like Peter Pan) although the part about not baking during summer is something I hear mostly on American blogs. Greece has high temperatures during the summer but never heard of Greek complain about baking during the summer. What would Greek summer food be without an oven: gemista, briam etc?
ReplyDeleteYour observation is so ironic - my anti-oven sentiments were inspired by Greeks! : ) Most of my American friends just crank the air conditioner up full blast, and use the stove with abandon. The Greeks I know use the outdoor ovens or Souvlaki grills for a lot of cooking, and are much more sparing with A/C usage than the average American (I'm wearing a Cardigan right now - in July - just to protect me from the A/C!). It's funny how much variation there can be within a culture/country : )
DeleteI'm SO glad you shared this!!! ♥ I don't use the oven in the summer either, since we don't have central air conditioning, only a window unit, which is worthless when I turn the hot oven on. I love making pita and have missed homemade breads this summer. I'll give this a try!
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy it Martha - let me know how it turns out : )
DeleteThanks so much for the invite - I shared my link : )Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteHello, I was going to suggest trying a cast iron skillet for making them! I have a flat skillet, and a regular size frying pan. They work really well and to really roll out the dough and pound it a wee bit.
ReplyDeleteI think it might add air pockets. But I think your idea of using the stove top is great and quick cooking tool.
We make flour tortillas all the time, and fry bread once in a while!
Blessings, Roxy
Thanks for a great idea! You'll have to let me know how it turns out : )
DeleteI don't have any cast-iron. I grew up with it, but I'm more of a non-stick sort of person - partly so that I can use less cooking oil. Whatever pan you use, I think the lid is really important.
I haven't made tortillas in years - I'm hoping to try it again soon.
Thanks so much for stopping by : )
I love Pita bread but have only made it once. This recipe looks like something I would like to try!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking this to the In and Out of the Kitchen Link party.
Thanks so much for stopping by - this method (for me, anyway), is so much more approachable & less intimidating than the traditional oven method. Hope you enjoy it. And, thanks for hosting : )
DeleteThis looks fabulous! I featured this post on the Hearts for Home blog hop today!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I'm honored! Thank you for hosting! : )
DeleteHi! Found you whike searching for a pita recipe so this is a late question but-do you let tge dough rise before makibg the pitas? And if so is tge rising time 2hrs like for the bread in the 5min recipe?thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi, Lydia, thanks so much for visiting! I love your name, and your Patron Saint, btw! I let the dough rise the first time (the two hours) like in the Artisan Bread in 5 book. The second time, I have not been allowing a second rise BUT - I do notice that the loaves I make last puff up the best. So, I suspect that this dough works better for stovetop pita when it is closer to room temp rather than ice cold. But, I'm still not really doing a second rise after shaping, like one would do for baked Boule or Baguettes. Hope that helps - and thanks so much for visiting! : )
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