Pita Bread
Source: combination of recipes
3 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast*
1 T light olive oil
1 1/4 cups water, room temp
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix with wooden spoon until all the flour is moistened.
Knead the dough on lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. At this point it will be very sticky. Cover it with the inverted bowl and allow it to rest for 5 to 20 minutes. (This rest will make the dough less sticky and easier to work with.)
Knead the dough for another 5 to 10 minutes or until it is soft and smooth and just a little sticky to the touch.
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn over so both sides are lightly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled, about an hour.
At this point dough can be refrigerated overnight (or up to 3 days), checking every hour for the first 4 hours and pressing it down if it starts to rise.
Preheat the oven to 475°F one hour before baking with baking stone or cookie sheet on shelf at the lowest level.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth.
On a lightly floured counter, with lightly floured hands, shape each piece into a ball and then flatten it into a disk. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for 20 minutes.
Roll each disk into a 7-8 inch circle.
Quickly place 1 piece of dough directly on the stone or sheet, and bake for 3 minutes. The pita should be completely puffed but not beginning to brown.
Proceed with the remaining dough.
When slightly cooled, place in plastic bag to keep soft.
*if using regular active dry yeast, use 1 packet and proof in 1/4 cup of the water with 1 tsp sugar before adding to remaining ingredients.