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PITA BREAD

Servings: 12 pitas

Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 cupwarm water, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided (approximately)
• 1 teaspoon salt


Directions:
Preheat oven to 500F.

Dissolve yeast with 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl. Stir in remaining water mixed with oil. Vigorously stir in flours, 1/2 cup at a time, and salt, until soft dough forms.

Turn dough onto floured surface. Let dough rest while washing and oiling bowl. Knead dough about 10 minutes until elastic, adding flour only to manage the dough. Place dough in oiled bowl, turning once to coat; cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch dough; roll the dough into a long cylinder on very lightly floured surface. Cut into 12 equal sections. Form each section into smooth ball by bringing the smooth sides down to underneath and pinching. Set each aside and let rest covered with a towel about 5 minutes.

With heavy rolling pin on lightly floured surface, roll each ball out, flipping and using just enough flour on surface to keep it from sticking. Make each circle as flat and even as possible; about 6-inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick.

Place 3 to 4 circles on baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal or wheat germ to prevent sticking; let rest.

Move oven shelf to lowest rack. Work quickly so heat is not lost to put pitas on bottom baking shelf. Let bake 1 1/2 minutes without peeking. Dough will begin to puff up. Continue baking 1 to 2 minutes more. Little browning will occur since there is no sugar in the recipe. Remove from oven, cool and eat fresh with a variety of fillings or wrap and store in refrigerator or freezer.

Nutrition:
One pita provides approximately: 142 calories, 4 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 2 g fat (0 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 68 mcg folate, 2 g iron, 196 mg sodium.

Recipe courtesy of the Wheat Foods Council www.wheatfoods.org