How to Make Pocket Bread

Pocket bread can be stuffed with sandwich fillings.

Pocket bread contains an air pocket inside of a flat loaf, and goes by other names such as: pita bread, pide bread, khubz or baladi, according to Food Thesaurus. Serve these flat breads as a side dish option instead of plain dinner rolls or sliced bread. Cut each pocket bread loaf in half, open the pocket, and stuff with your favorite sandwich filling.

Things You'll Need

• 1 package (2 tsp.) active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Shallow bowl
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 qt. mixing bowl
• Towel
• Rolling pin
• Knife
• Baking stone

Instructions

1. Combine one package of active dry yeast with 1 tbsp. sugar and 1 cup of warm water in a shallow bowl, and let sit or 10 minutes or until bubbly.

2. Use your hands to mix 1 and ½ tsp. salt into 2 cups of bread flour in a 2 qt. mixing bowl.

3. Pour the yeast and water mixture into the salt and flour in the bowl, and combine with your hands.

4. Add the remaining 1 cup of bread flour to the dough mixture in ¼ cup amounts, mixing with your hands after each addition. Stop adding flour when your dough comes together into a sticky ball that holds its shape. You might not need all of the flour.

5. Sprinkle a clean working surface with a light dusting of flour and place the sticky pocket bread dough on the flour.

6. Wash and dry your hands, and dust your dried hands with flour to keep them from sticking to the dough as you knead.

7. Push the dough ball flat and fold it over. Turn the dough a quarter turn and press it flat and fold it again. Repeat this flattening and folding, turning the dough each time to knead the dough.

8. Stop kneading when the dough bounces back when you push your finger into it, or after 8 to 10 minutes of kneading.

9. Cover the dough with a lightly dampened towel and set it into a warm place to rise for 2 hours, or until twice its original size.

10. Gently punch the middle of the dough ball with your fist to release the air.

11. Cut the dough into eight even pieces and cover with a towel for another 20 minutes to rest.

12. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and place a baking stone on the middle rack of the oven.

13. Roll each ball into a flat round between 1/8 and ¼ inch thick.

14. Lay two or three pocket breads directly onto the baking stone so they do not overlap, and bake in the oven for 3 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned and puffy.

15. Remove the baked pitas from the oven and continue with the remaining pocket bread until you have baked a batch of eight pocket breads. Serve warm.

References

• Food Thesaurus: Pita Bread
• All Recipes: Pocket Bread
• The Fresh Loaf: Pita Bread