Sourdough Pita Bread

Step 1

In a medium bowl add: 308g bread flour, 77g whole grain flour, 15g sugar and 10g salt.

Step 2

Mix it with your fingers to distribute everything evenly.

Step 3

Then add 25g olive oil, 225g sourdough starter (fed and risen to its peak) and 211g water.

Step 4

Mix until all the flour has been hydrated.

Step 5

Then flour your counter and and knead the dough until it's smooth; adding extra flour as needed so you have a tacky but not sticky dough.

Step 6

Put the dough back in the bowl and cover it and let it ferment around 6 hours at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size.

Step 7

After it's doubled put it in the fridge until you need it. It can easily stay in the fridge for up to one week.

Step 8

Heat your oven to 260°C/500°F with a baking steel inside. Alternatively an inverted baking sheet.

Step 9

Divide the dough into 8 equally sized pieces.

Step 10

Shape each piece of dough into a ball and tighten the surface by pushing the dough up into the center of the ball, then turning the dough about an eighth. Going for as many iterations as it takes.

Step 11

Place all the balls under a dish towel. Let them rest for 20 minutes.

Step 12

Roll out each ball into a very flat round piece of dough. Go for as thin as you can without tearing the dough.

Step 13

Place each disc under dish towels so that they don't dry out.

Step 14

After about 20 minutes you should be ready to bake.

Step 15

If you want to make them on the stove top, go to the next section.

Step 16

If you are very nimble you may be able to bake more than one pita at a time, but since they bake so quickly I suggest that you bake them separately if it's your first time.

Step 17

Open the oven and add a pita to the baking steel and close the oven.

Step 18

Bake for about 1½ minutes. In the last 30 seconds the pita should puff up like crazy. If it doesn't puff up, extend this time until it does.

Step 19

Then open the oven and flip over the pita using a spatula.

Step 20

Bake for one minute more.

Step 21

Put the pitas on a wire rack until you finish baking.

Step 22

Heat a cast-iron skillet to highest heat possible for at least 15 minutes.

Step 23

Put a pita on the pan and wait for it to puff up, 1-2 minutes.

Step 24

Flip it over and bake another minute on the other side.

Step 25

Put on a wire rack while you prepare the rest of the pitas on the skillet.