pita

These grilled chicken skewers are gently spiced with a ginger-and-cumin yogurt marinade, which makes the meat exceedingly tender and cooks to fragrant curds. As they grill, the skewers are gilded with a tarragon-mint baste that tastes distinctly Persian. Restraint and a very hot grill are both key to getting a good char: Don’t move the skewers until the yogurt is burnished and the meat releases from the grates. Color is flavor. Catch any juices that run out of the cooked skewers with warm pita bread. Leftovers make excellent chicken salad.

Grilled Chicken Skewers With Tarragon and Yogurt

chicken thighs

salt

scallions, trimmed

pita breads

full-fat Greek yogurt

lime juice (from 2 limes)

olive oil

garlic clove, crushed

ginger,

cumin

unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

lime juice lime

mint

Prepare the chicken: Cut each thigh in half against the grain. Rub with salt and set aside.

Prepare the marinade: In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, lime juice, olive oil, salt and garlic. Reserve and refrigerate 1 cup marinade for serving. Put remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag and add the ginger, cumin and chicken; squelch around to coat thoroughly then refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 48 hours.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 1 hour before you plan to grill. If using wooden skewers, immerse them in water to soak for 15 minutes. Alternatively, use metal skewers or none at all.

Prepare the grill: Clean the grate thoroughly and build a hot fire. The skewers will cook over intense, direct heat. The coals are ready when they glow red and the grate hisses when you drop water on it.

Thread the chicken lengthwise onto skewers (if using), then smear with the marinade from the bag.

Prepare the baste: Place the butter and salt in a small saucepan to melt on the cooler side of the grill (or use the stovetop). Once butter is melted, add the lime juice and chopped herbs; keep warm but do not boil.

Grilling in batches if necessary, place the chicken on the grill a few inches apart. When you see a good char forming underneath, about 3 to 5 minutes, gently tug a skewer or the chicken: If it feels very stuck, leave it a few more minutes before turning. When the chicken releases easily and looks nicely charred in places, flip it using a fish spatula to gently pry any stuck bits off the grate.

Baste the chicken with the herb butter and arrange the scallions in a single layer on the cooler edges of the grill. Let the chicken cook on the second side until firm and cooked through and turn the scallions occasionally until grill-marked and tender, about 8 minutes.

Grill the pitas until marked, about 1 minute, turning halfway through. Lay them on the serving platter and place the scallions and chicken on top. Drizzle the bread, scallions and chicken with any remaining warm herb butter. Dollop chicken with reserved marinade, squeeze with lime and top with extra tarragon or mint.

Is it worth making pita at home? Absolutely. Store-bought pita (like store-bought sandwich bread) is often several days old. Warm, fragrant home-baked pita is obviously superior, and there’s a bit of a thrill when the breads puff up in the oven. And once you get the hang of it, it’s not difficult. For the best flavor, try to get freshly milled whole-wheat flour. Even though only a little is called for in the recipe, it makes a difference. 

Homemade Pita Bread

active dry yeast

sugar

whole-wheat flour (1/4

unbleached all-purposed flour (2 1/2 cups)

Make sponge: Put 1 cup lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Add the whole-wheat flour and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and whisk together. Put bowl in a warm (not hot) place, uncovered, until mixture is frothy and bubbling, about 15 minutes.


Add salt, olive oil and nearly all remaining all-purpose flour (reserve 1/2 cup). With a wooden spoon or a pair of chopsticks, stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass. Dust with a little reserved flour, then knead in bowl for 1 minute, incorporating any stray bits of dry dough. 


Turn dough onto work surface. Knead lightly for 2 minutes, until smooth. Cover and let rest 10 minutes, then knead again for 2 minutes. Try not to add too much reserved flour; the dough should be soft and a bit moist. (At this point, dough may refrigerated in a large zippered plastic bag for several hours or overnight. Bring dough back to room temperature, knead into a ball and proceed with recipe.) 


Clean the mixing bowl and put dough back in it. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then cover with a towel. Put bowl in a warm (not hot) place. Leave until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.


Heat oven to 475 degrees. On bottom shelf of oven, place a heavy-duty baking sheet, large cast-iron pan or ceramic baking tile. Punch down dough and divide into 8 pieces of equal size. Form each piece into a little ball. Place dough balls on work surface, cover with a damp towel and leave for 10 minutes. 


Remove 1 ball (keeping others covered) and press into a flat diskc with rolling pin. Roll to a 6-inch circle, then to an 8-inch diameter, about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour if necessary. (The dough will shrink a bit while baking.) 


Carefully lift the dough circle and place quickly on hot baking sheet. After 2 minutes the dough should be nicely puffed. Turn over with tongs or spatula and bake 1 minute more. The pita should be pale, with only a few brown speckles. Transfer warm pita to a napkin-lined basket and cover so bread stays soft. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls.


Puffy yeast-raised pita bread, perfect for splitting and filling with your choice of ingredients, is easy to make at home.

Homemade Pita Bread Recipe

water (8 ounces; 240 milliliters), 105–110°F (41–43°C)

(15 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil,

instant yeast

whole wheat flour (2 1/2 ounces; 70 grams)

all-purpose flour

In a medium mixing bowl, combine water, oil, sugar, yeast, salt, and whole wheat flour with a wooden spoon until combined and smooth. Stir in all-purpose flour until the mixture comes together into a shaggy mass.

Using clean hands, knead the dough in the bowl for 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth and very elastic, adding only very small amounts of extra flour if dough is extremely sticky (see note). Alternatively, knead dough at low speed in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment until dough is very elastic and smooth, about 8 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and form into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a clean mixing bowl and place dough inside, then rub oiled hands over the top of the dough. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place a baking steel or 12-inch cast iron skillet on the top oven rack and preheat oven to 500°F (260°C). Line a plate with a large, clean kitchen towel and set aside.

Punch down the dough, transfer to a lightly floured work surface, and cut into 6 even pieces. Form each dough piece into an even ball. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll each piece of dough into about a 7-inch circle, no more than 1/4 inch thick, taking care not to tear dough and keeping the thickness even all around. Place dough disks on a lightly floured surface, cover with a damp towel, and let proof until slightly puffy, about 30 minutes.

Working with as many pitas as will fit on the steel at once, pick up each pita and place on the steel top side down. (If using a cast iron skillet, bake one pita at a time.) Immediately close the oven door and bake until pitas have puffed and are slightly golden around the edges, about 3 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake.

Place baked pitas onto towel-lined plate and wrap with the overhanging towel. Repeat with any remaining pitas.

For an extra-charred finish, heat a cast iron skillet on the stovetop over high heat until smoking. Working with one pita at a time, briefly heat each side until charred in a few spots, about 30 seconds. Return pita to towel and cover. Repeat with remaining pitas and serve immediately.

Falafel may get all the attention, but the sabich, another popular Tel Aviv snack food, has won my heart. Filled with moist slices of fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, a generous layer of creamy hummus, crunchy Israeli pickles, and Israeli salad, and drizzled with tahini sauce and amba, a pickled-mango sauce, it's all you could want in any sandwich, and more.

Sabich Sandwiches (Pitas With Eggplant, Eggs, Hummus, and Tahini) Recipe

plum tomatoes (7 ounces; 200 grams), cored and diced

Kosher salt

Olive oil oil,

eggplant

cucumber

lemon

parsley

head cabbage (7 ounces; 200 grams), thinly shredded

(30 milliliters) white wine vinegar

(120 milliliters) homemade

eggs,

Israeli pickles, for serving (see note)

Amba sauce, for serving (see note)

Place tomatoes in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and toss with a generous pinch of salt. Let stand 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1/4 inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if necessary, fry eggplant slices, rotating for even browning and turning once halfway through, until golden on both sides and tender throughout, about 5 minutes; lower heat if oil begins to smoke. Transfer eggplant to a paper towel–lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Transfer tomatoes to a medium bowl and discard drained liquid. Add cucumber, lemon juice, and parsley to tomatoes. Season Israeli salad with salt to taste and mix well.

In a medium bowl, toss cabbage with vinegar and season with salt.

In each pita pocket, smear 3 tablespoons (45ml) of hummus in an even layer. Layer 2 to 3 slices fried eggplant on top of each. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon (15ml) tahini sauce, then top with sliced eggs, Israeli pickles, and remaining tahini sauce. Spoon some of the Israeli salad into each pita, drizzle with amba, and serve.

This is an overstuffed, saucy little sandwich, but our pita trick in this recipe ensures that the pocket won’t implode while you’re eating it.

Turkey Shawarma with Crunchy Vegetables

plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

garlic clove, finely grated

lemon zest

lemon juice, divided

black pepper

coriander

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

cinnamon

turmeric

cayenne pepper

unsalted butter, divided

vegetable oil, divided

turkey

red onion, halved, very thinly sliced

Persian cucumbers,

carrot, peeled,

radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced

red wine vinegar

herbs

white pitas with pockets, warmed

Hot sauce (for serving)

Bon Appétit

Mix yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, and 2 tsp. lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with salt. Set yogurt sauce aside.

Mix black pepper, coriander, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, and cayenne in a small bowl. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. As soon as butter is melted, add half of spice mixture and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add half of turkey meat and toss to coat. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, 1 Tbsp. oil, spice mixture, and turkey meat. Add remaining 1 tsp. lemon juice to turkey mixture and toss to combine.

Toss onion, cucumbers, carrot, radishes, and vinegar in a large bowl to combine. Add herbs, season with salt, and gently toss again.

Cut 1" off top of each pita and stuff back into pocket, nudging it all the way to the bottom. Spread some of the yogurt sauce inside each pita without tearing sides and fill with turkey and vegetable mixture. Serve with hot sauce and remaining yogurt sauce.

Melitzanosalata is a tasty Greek appetizer traditionally served aside meats, pita bread, and other sauces. This eggplant salad is a delicious and healthy starter, but it also a perfect ingredient for a sandwich or a Pita Gyro. I love preparing this vegan small plate along with Tzatziki sauce, Souvlaki, and Greek salad. This kind of meal remembers me my days in Greece: closing my eyes, and breathing deeply, I can still feel the flavors of the olive groves and Mediterranean sea!

Melitzanosalata - Traditional Greek Eggplant Salad Recipe

eggplants

garlic

red onion (30 g)

tbsp fresh parsley (alternatively, fresh mint)

tsp white vinegar

sprinkle black pepper

MELITZANOSALATA - traditional Greek eggplant salad recipe

First of all, preheat the oven to 390°...

First of all, preheat the oven to 390° F (200° C).

After that, rinse and dry the eggplants, then...

After that, rinse and dry the eggplants, then holes a few times the skin of the vegetables with a fork.

Place the eggplants on a tray lined with...

Place the eggplants on a tray lined with parchment paper and bake, 45 mins to 80 mins depending on the size of the eggplants, until very tender and wrinkled, flipping them a couple of times.

This step can also be done with a...

This step can also be done with a charcoal or electric grill.

Once incredibly tender, cut the eggplant still hot...

Once incredibly tender, cut the eggplant still hot into halves and scoop the pulp.

Pour the pulp into a colander, add a...

Pour the pulp into a colander, add a pinch of salt, and let it lose the vegetation water stirring and pressing with a spoon occasionally until it reaches room temperature.

While the eggplant pulp is reaching the room...

While the eggplant pulp is reaching the room temperature, combine the olive oil with red onion, garlic, black pepper, and vinegar.

Mix it all until smooth and consistent.

Now, mince the eggplant pulp with a knife,...

Now, mince the eggplant pulp with a knife, then mince the fresh parsley as well.

Finally, combine the eggplants, the parsley, and the...

Finally, combine the eggplants, the parsley, and the vinaigrette, stirring and serving along with, pita, meats, and other Greek small plates.

Infused with Mediterranean flavors and topped with mild, creamy tzatziki, these lamb burgers are an exotic twist on the traditional grilled favorite.

Lamb-Feta Burgers with Tzatziki

c. cucumber

c. nonfat Greek yogurt

garlic paste

lemon juice

kosher salt

Black pepper

lb. lamb

feta cheese

onion

oregano leaves

zucchini

yellow summer squash

butter lettuce leaves

tomato

Molokhia, a braised chicken and greens dish popular in Lebanon and Egypt, inspired this riff on chicken soup. The citrus notes of cardamom and coriander lend brightness to the broth, and a one-two punch of salt and acid by way of crunchy pita chips and pickled red onion finish the dish off.

Braised Chicken and Spinach Stew

red onion, thinly sliced

Tbsp. olive oil

unsalted butter

yellow onion, thinly sliced

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs

white rice and pita chips (for serving)

Combine red onion, lemon juice, a large pinch of salt, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Let sit until ready to serve.

Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium until butter is melted. Add yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 8–10 minutes. Add garlic, cardamom, coriander, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant and garlic is softened, about 4 minutes. Add spinach a handful at a time, stirring constantly and letting each batch wilt before adding more (if you’re using frozen, add all at once and cook until heated through). Add chicken and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and shreds easily, 35–45 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board and shred into large pieces with 2 forks or spoons; season with salt.

Divide chicken, greens, and broth among bowls. Mound a big spoonful of rice over and top with drained pickled red onions and crushed pita chips.

To create a warm place to rise: Preheat your oven for 1 minute; then shut it off. 
Parchment paper sheets: If you buy the parchment paper that comes in sheets, such as the If You Care brand, you can fold the sheet lengthwise, then into thirds widthwise and cut along the creases to create 6 equal pieces. 
If you don't have instant yeast, you can use active-dry yeast. Simply sprinkle it over the lukewarm water, and let it stand for 15 minutes; then proceed with the recipe. 
See other notes in the post for using your refrigerator during the rising process and for alternate methods of cooking if you don't have a Baking Steel or pizza stone. 

Easy Homemade Pita Bread Recipe

(256 g) all-purpose flour,

(5 g) kosher salt

(4 g) instant yeast, see notes above

165 g (scant 3/4 cup) lukewarm water

(14 g) olive oil,

Mix the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water and oil. Stir with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms — the mixture will appear dry and unevenly mixed. Use your hands to knead the dough briefly in the bowl just until the flour is absorbed and you have a sticky ball, about 30 seconds. Drizzle a little olive oil over top, turn the dough to coat, cover bowl with a tea towel, and transfer to a warm place (see notes above) to rise for 1.5 hours. 

Heat oven with a Baking Steel or stone inside at 550ºF. Cut a sheet of parchment paper into 6 small pieces about 6-inches square, see notes above. 

Portion the dough: Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead briefly to form a ball. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 6 equal portions — each ball should roughly weigh 73 g. Using flour as needed to prevent sticking, ball up each portion, using the pinky edges of your fingers to create tension (see video for guidance). Let rest 30 minutes.

Roll out each ball: Flatten one ball, and, using flour as needed, gently roll out with a rolling pin until you have a 6-inch round — the key is to not roll too aggressively in order to prevent the air pockets from being forced out. If a round is resisting, set it aside, begin rolling out another one, and return to the stubborn one at the end. Transfer each 6-inch round to a sheet of parchment paper. Let rest 15 minutes.

Bake the pita: When oven has preheated, use a pizza peel to shimmy one round at a time, parchment paper and all, onto the preheated Baking Steel. I like to cook 3 at a time. Set timer for 2 minutes. If the pita is lightly golden, it’s done. Remove pita, transfer to a tea towel-lined bowl, and close the towel. Repeat with the remaining 3 rounds of pita. 

Store pita at room temperature in an airtight bag or container for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat before serving. 

All five of them turned out just fine, all of them puffed in the oven, I will keep a note of this recipe and will double or triple it next time. Thank you!

Yesterday I doubled the recipe and baked 10 pitas and we stuffed their pockets with pork pibil and mexican corn salad. Heaven! This will remain on constant rotation in our home. Greetings from Vilnius!

delicious! much fluffier than pitas I had made before. made them with your falafel burger recipe and had a fantastic meal! thanks!

Great pita bread! I used a sheet pan and could only heat my oven to 475F. Still, the bread puffed up and was delicious. Your instructions were perfect. Thank you!

I made these with light spelt flour and baked them at 200C for 4 min on an upside down tray. They puffed up and were unbelievably soft and fluffy. I need to practice rolling dough into a circle but no matter what shape they end up, this is a great recipe! 

Made this tonight and it turned out fantastic.  I wanted the pitas a little bigger so I cut the dough into 4 and they turned out perfect.

OMG, these are so yummy.  Made for the 2nd time this morning. Can't believe how quick and easy they are to make.  I certainly won't be buying those horrible cardboard ones from the supermarket again.  Will definitely be doubling up the quantity next time.

These were so much fun to make! I did them on a lark, I'm not a big bread maker,  so kept my expectations low 😄 but your instructions were excellent and they came out beautifully. I was afraid I was overhandling them,  but that was not the case. And I measured ingredients,  I suspect that helped. Thank you so much!

The best pitas!! Easy and so delicious. I used 3/4 C King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour with remainder AP. Puffed and baked to perfection. Thank you for this recipe!

This recipe is incredible! This is the 3rd one I have tried for pita bread, and the first two were an epic fail.  Balls of dough with no pocket, and I followed each recipe perfectly.   This recipe was perfect.  Worked out just as shown in the photos, I couldn't believe how quickly they puffed up and had such incredible pockets.   I do not normally write reviews for recipes, but I had to for this one, I will make it over and over again.   And it's easy!   Thanks Alexandra!

This worked perfectly! I'm quite practised with homemade bread so knew what to look for but generally very easy recipe. I subbed about 30g of flour for wholewheat bread flour and needed a touch more water because of that. Also needed around 4 minutes in the oven to get golden brown on the bottom but that's probably down to the individual oven! Fab recipe though, will double it next time and make again without hesitation!

this is a great and easy recipe and they puffed up beautifully.   However, mine had a very thin
upper layer and a thick bottom so that the top tore when trying to stuff them.  would placement higher in the oven remedy this?   thank you!   baked on middle shelf.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l23nrIe8DWU

This recipe couldn't be easier: the ingredient list is minimal, it is mostly no-knead, and, with a preheated Baking Steel or pizza stone, the rounds cook in 2 minutes, puffing way up into beautiful pockets.

Full recipe soon!

Simple Homemade Pita Bread Recipe

Shakshuka—a combination of poached eggs, cumin and a rich, smoky tomato sauce—is a staple Israeli dish. Get the complete recipe at Tasting Table.

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