Pita Bread (Mediterranean Harvest by Martha Rose Shulman)

• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups warm water (or 2 1/4 cups if using whole wheat flour)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 to 6 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or a combination (I used half and half)
• 2 teaspoons salt

Stir together the yeast, sugar, and water in a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the olive oil and stir or beat in 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes to an hour, until bubbly.

If making the dough by hand: Add the salt and the remaining flour, a cup at a time, until you can scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

If making the dough in a standing mixer: Add 2 1/2 cups of flour and the salt and beat with a paddle attachment. Change to the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Form the dough into a ball and place in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, then turn to coat once. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour or semolina. Also, place a large kitchen towel on your work surface and dust with flour. Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape the pieces into balls and place on the baking sheet. Cover lightly with lightly oiled plastic (this keeps the dough from drying out while you work).

Take 1 ball at a time, flatten it on a lightly floured work surface, and roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin until its about 1/4 inch thick and 6 inches in diameter. Transfer to the floured towel or sheet and sprinkle lightly with flour. Repeat with the remaining pieces, laying the rolled out pieces on the floured towel. Cover them with another towel and let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place a baking stone or a baking sheet on the rack set at the lowest level and heat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Bake 2 breads at a time on the baking sheet, place the breads 1 inch apart (you might only be able to fit one at a time on a baking stone). Bake 5 to 7 minutes, until the breads puff. Transfer to a wire rack and cover with a towel so the breads remain soft. For longer storage, place in plastic zip-lock bags.

Yield: Eight 6-7 inch breads.

Like any homemade bread, they only are good for 2 days or so before they start to dry out, so they are best eaten warm from the oven or the day they are baked. Bread making is truly a labor of love, because it does take time and patience (you can’t rush the yeast), but presenting others with homemade bread is a much-appreciated gesture (it’s also extremely nutritious, think of all the preservatives you are avoiding!).

A cure for old bread (I haven’t tried this with pita bread, though) is to make croutons! They are excellent for topping soups, salads, and even pasta dishes.

Croutons

• 1/3 loaf of bread, cut and cubed into 1 inch pieces (about 3 big handfuls of bread cubes)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter with the olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the bread cubes and thyme, toss till all the bread cubes are coated with the butter and oil. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper if desired (a little!). Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the bread cubes in an even layer on the sheet. Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes until golden brown on the edges.