How to Make Gyro Bread

The gyro is a Greek sandwich made most often from gyro bread (commonly called pita), roast lamb, onion and tomato. It is served with a yogurt-cucumber sauce called tzatziki. This round, flat bread is eaten throughout the Mediterranean. Pita bread is traditionally baked in brick ovens but can be made easily in a home oven. The basic recipe is simple, and can be modified to match individual tastes by replacing some of the white flour with whole-wheat or whole-grain flour. Garlic or onion seasoning can also provide tasty variations on the standard recipe.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• ¼ oz. active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1½ cup warm water
• 3 cups flour
• 1½ tsp. salt
• 2 tbsps. olive oil

1. Empty one packet of active dry yeast into a small bowl, and add one tsp. sugar. Add ½ cup of warm---but not hot--water and let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. The sugar will activate the yeast; the yeast will begin to foam as it grows.

2. Place three cups of flour in a mixing bowl and add 1½ tsp. salt; mix these dry ingredients. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the yeast mixture. Keep stirring while you add one cup of warm water. Keep mixing until all the flour is absorbed.

3. Coat a large mixing bowl with two tbsps. of olive oil, and scoop the dough into the oil. Roll the dough ball around in the olive oil so that the entire ball is coated with oil. The oil will prevent the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and set it someplace warm where it will rise.

4. Place some flour on a large flat surface, such as a cutting board or counter top. Smooth out the flour so the dough won't stick to the surface. Knead the dough by pulling it and folding it over itself and pressing it down. The dough should be kneaded for about 10 minutes or until it becomes shiny and elastic. If the dough becomes sticky as it is being kneaded, add more flour.

5. Form the dough into two-inch balls and set these on a floured plate; let them rise for 15 minutes. Then place them on the floured board and flatten them out with a lightly floured rolling pin until they are about five inches around and 1/8" thick. Place the dough on a preheated cookie sheet in a 500-degree oven for five minutes. Turn the breads over and bake for an additional two minutes. Remove the breads from the oven and poke the tops with a fork to release the air inside. Serve hot or let them cool. Store the bread in plastic bags.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep hands floured when kneading to prevent the dough from sticking to fingers.
• Wooden spatulas can harbor dangerous bacteria, so it is better to use nylon or neoprene utensils for mixing.

References

• Real Greek at Home: Dishes from the Heart of the Greek Kitchen; Theodore Kyriakou and Charles Campion; 2006
• Pita the Great; Virginia t. Habeeb; 1986

Resources

• Greek cooking
• Gyro recipe

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