PITA BREAD -- USING THE MASTER RECIPE #309834

Pita Bread -- Using the Master Recipe #309834 image

Provided by Galley Wench

Categories Breads

Time 12m

Yield 4 Pita Pockets

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 1/2 cups beer, 12 oz. bottle, room temperature lager such as Budweiser (Note Water can be substituted however it will somewhat effect the flavor)
1 1/2 cups water, warm approximately 100 degrees
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
6 1/2 cups unsifted unbleached all-purpose flour (29.25 ounces)

Steps:

Refer to Recipe #309834 for instructions to prepare the dough necessary to make the pitas.
TO BAKE: (Dough should be refrigerated for at least 24 hours).
Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a baking stone.
Just before baking, dust a pizza peel with flour.
With wet hands, pull up one end of the refrigerated dough (Recipe #309834). Using a serrated knife, cut off a 1-pound, or grapefruit-size, piece of dough. (Note a 1 pound piece of dough will make 4 pitas so adjust the amount needed as necessary.)
Divide the dough into 4 pieces (no larger than 4 ozs. each) and shape into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four side, rotating a quarter-turn as you go.
Place the dough on a flour-dusted pizza peel, dusting the top with flour.
With a rolling pin, roll the dough out into rounds with a uniform thickness of 1/8 inch. This is important, because if it's too think, it may not puff.
With a quick motion, slide the pitas from the pizza peel directly onto the preheated baking stone.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly browned and puffed.
For authentic, soft-crusted results, wrap the pitas in a clean cotton dish towel and set on a cooling rack when baking is complete.
The pitas will deflate slightly as they cool, however the space between the crust will still be there.
Serve with your favorite filling.
Once cooled the pitas can be stored in a zip-lock bag.