Flatbreads are the world’s oldest type of bread. They can be made from any grain and sometimes they are leavened or, most often, unleavened. Flatbreads come in a wide range of textures, sizes and shapes–from large, thick rectangles, to small, soft rounds, to paper-thin spongy ovals. You can grill, bake and even pan-fry these delicious breads!
What is the difference between the Greek Pita and the Arabic Pita
Greek pita bread is one of those lesser-known flatbreads that is often referred to as “Mediterranean Pita” or as “pocket-less pita”. Whereas the more common pita bread (sometimes called “Arabic pita”) has a hollow “pocket” that is usually stuffed, Greek pita bread is soft, slightly thicker and has no pocket. It is mostly used with the appetizer course, cut into triangles and topped with a variety of spreads, like tzatziki, roasted eggplant spread, or whipped Feta cheese. This is also the delicious pita that is wrapped around a gyro or souvlaki.
How to cook the Greek Pita Bread
This is one of the easiest flat breads to make and it does not even require the use of the oven. The dough for the Greek pita bread is super soft and pliable – I just roll it into a flat disk and then cook it in a skillet for a few minutes until it is golden brown. The pitas do not have to be perfectly round; in fact, the more uneven they turn out to be, the better. Enjoy them warm with your favorite dip or spread, or, top them with garlic-lime chicken kebabs, Mediterranean kebabs, grilled chicken and of course, some Greek salad on the side!
- 1½ cups lukewarm water
- 1½ tsp. active dry yeast
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 2 TBSP. olive oil
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 3½ cup all-purpose flour
- --- extra flour for rolling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a hook, add the water, the yeast, and the sugar and mix to combine. Let the mixture stand for five minutes or until you see that the yeast is forming small bubbles. Add the olive oil and the salt . With the motor running, gradually add the flour and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and leave in a warm spot in your kitchen to rise and rest for about 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into eight pieces. Dust each piece with some extra flour and roll it out into 8” rounds that are about ¼” thick. If the dough resists the stretching, let it relax for a few minutes and then try rolling it again. Lightly poke the surface of your pita breads with the tines of a fork, making sure you do not poke right through.
- Place a heavy cast-iron skillet (or a non-stick pan) over medium-high heat. Grease the hot skillet with some olive oil. Place the pita on the hot skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the pita for a couple of minutes until it starts to puff up and get a nice golden color. Flip and cook the other side.
- Place the pita breads on a clean cotton kitchen towel and cover with the towel. Continue with the rest of the pitas, greasing the skillet lightly each time as you go. Stack the pitas, tucked inside the kitchen towel. Serve warm or allow to cool inside the kitchen towel.
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These look delicious –I can see them wrapped around, or spread with, almost anything! Thank you for another absolutely authentic, super-easy recipe, Marilena!
I was actually thinking of you and your love of grilling when I decided to do the spicy Mediterranean chicken. I think you will like that recipe too!
Thanks Ratatouille! This is such an easy recipe and I hope you give it a try. You can also grill it, instead of cooking it in a skillet… Just brush both sides with olive oil and grill it until puffed, blistered and golden brown! ?
These are delicious. So simple too. I really recommend having these from chicken to curry they are outstanding. Thanks for another great recipe.
Thank you so much Janel! It is such a favorite recipe, I am so glad you liked it!
These came out great! So easy! Rolling the dough was a bit tricky because it is so sticky…I just added a lot of flour to my board. I can’t stop eating them!
That’s wonderful, Celeste! Depending on the kind of flour you use, you might need to adjust bit, adding more flour if necessary…… This will not affect the result:)
Hi I love making these but they are sometimes so sticky when I mix into dough. What does TPSP mean? Is it tablespoons or teaspoons? I think this might be where I’m going wrong
Yes, that was a typo, it is tablespoon (TBSP.)! Depending on the kind of flour you use, the dough can be a bit sticky, just dust it with some more flour, until you get the right consistency!
Late to the party – but I made this last night and loved it. How much flour would you use in grams? Normally I use 1 cup is about 125g…so it would be 437. But I found that very wet, so upped it to almost 500g. Just wondering if you have ever weighed it to know?
Hi Scott,
The weight of flour depends on the brand you are using and it can slightly vary. I use King Arthur all-purpose unbleached flour and each cup weights 5oz (or, 142 gr.). This is a very forgiving recipe, so depending on the flour you are using or, the method of measuring the flour, you might need to compensate with a bit more flour to help your dough come together! I hope this helps, thank you for trying my recipe:)