Ingredients
125g strong white bread flour
125g wholemeal flour (I had strong, so used that)
1 tsp salt
1½ tsp instant yeast
2 tsp olive oil
160ml cool water
Extra flour for dusting
1. Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the oil and the water. Use a dough hook on a mixing machine to mix the ingredients together on low speed.
2.Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. The dough will become less sticky and feel smooth and silky when ready. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and put it somewhere warm (not direct heat). Cover until the dough has doubled in size. This will take about an hour.
3. Heat your oven to 220C, gas mark 7 and place a baking tray in the centre to heat up.
4. Dust the work surface with flour. Tip the dough onto it and knock back the dough until it is smooth. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape each one into a ball. Flatten each ball with your fingertips, then roll into an oval about 5mm thick.
5. Take the hot tray out of the oven, dust with flour and lay the pittas on them (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Bake for 5- 10 minutes until the breads puff up and take on a hint of colour.
6. Wrap the pittas in a cloth, to trap the steam and keep them soft, and leave to cool. They are best eaten on the same day. but can be toasted later to revive them.
Method
I made some hummus, ottolenghi stye, but when I came to eat it at lunchtime, I had no bread in the house. Cal up the trusty Mr Google, and search how to make Pitta Bread. I personally prefer wholemeal ones - but in fact these are really half-and-half which is some sort of compromise. Actually next time I will look for a pure wholemeal recipe.
Aside from the proving this is a pretty rapid process - and I put the dough in the sun and it proved pretty quickly - so from thought to lunch was not too bad in terms of time.
The results were pretty pleasing. They swelled up and had the requisite pocket (as you can see) and all the Offspring ate them (which was not the point, but oh well) so I guess they liked them too. This recipe is based on a Paul Hollywood one but is none the worse for that. It scooped up the hummus well.....