Pitas are more about the technique than about the recipe, although a wet dough is necessary.  This batch was made from a variation of the standard dough which I discussed in the pizza posting.  I modified the dough this time to make it less glycemic and to add a bit of whole wheat flour for character, but otherwise it is the same dough, just handled differently.

5.2 oz. bread flour (40% of 13 oz., or 3 cups)

5.2 oz. King Arthur flour high fiber blend

2.6 oz. whole wheat flour

1-1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. yeast

1-1/4 cups warmish water

Mix together the dry ingredients.  Mix in the water until all of the flour is moistened.  Cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes.  (This autolyse step improves gluten development.)  Briefly knead.  The dough will be very sticky.  Allow to rise until doubled, which will take 4-7 hours depending on the temperature of the kitchen.

Preheat a pizza steel or pizza stone at 475 degrees, until you are sure it has reached that temperature.  (The steel comes to temperature much faster than the stone.)

Divide the dough into 8 pieces, and form them into balls.  On a floured surface, roll out each of the balls until it is a disk about 8 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake the disks in batches so that they do not touch each other.  After about a minute, the disks will start to puff as the moisture in the center of the dough is turned to steam and expands.  This is what creates the pocket in a pita.

 

Bake each disk for about 4 minutes, until it is seems fully cooked on the inside and is  lightly browned on the outside.  Do not over-bake.  Remove each baked pita when done and put it on a clean kitchen towel, cover it with the towel and put a light weight on it.  The objective is to keep the breads soft and pliable, and the trapped moisture from the towel helps this.

Allow the pitas to fully cool before putting them into a plastic bag.