| Water | 1 cup at 105 degrees F | |
| Active Dry Yeast | 2 teaspoons | |
| Sugar | 1/2 teaspoon | |
| Flour | 3 cups | |
| Salt | 2 teaspoons | |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil | 2 tbsp. |
Heat 1 cup of water to 108 degrees F.
While waiting for the water to become the right temperature, mix the yeast, sugar and olive oil in a small bowl.
Once the water is ready, combine with yeast mixture.
In a food processor, add in the flour & salt.
When running, slowly pour in the yeast mixture until the dough forms a sticky glob.
Dust a clean working surface with some flour. Knead dough lightly for a few minutes until smooth by hand.
Coat a large mixing bowl with extra virgin olive oil.
Put dough in bowl & turn a couple times to coat the outside with oil.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap, leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until dough rises to double its size.
After it’s risen, place dough on a floured work surface. Divide into 8 pieces, shape into balls. Then cover again and let rise for 10 minutes.
When ready to cook, using a floured rolling pin, roll balls flat into circles about 8 inches wide and a quarter inch thick. It helps to lift and turn the dough frequently as you roll. If dough starts to stick, sprinkle a bit of flour.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and wipe off any excess. It should only be lightly greased or else it will start smoking!
Working with one pita at a time, lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet for 1 minute, you’ll see bubbles start to form.
Brush the top of the cooking pita with olive oil, then flip over and cook for 1 minute on the other side.
Flip again and cook 1 minute to toast the original side. The pita bread should puff up forming a pocket while cooking.
Heat the oven to 475 degrees F and place a pizza stone, baking pan or large cast iron skillet on the middle rack to heat.
Working in batches, place the rolled out pitas directly on the hot baking baking sheet. Bake for 2 minutes on one side, and then using a pair of tongs, carefully turn pita over to bake for 1 minute on the other side.
The pita bread will puff nicely and should be ready. Remove from the oven and cover the baked pitas with a clean towel while you work on the rest of the pitas.
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