Pita Breads Recipe

1 cup wrist-temperature water

1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast -- (half 1/4 oz packet)

1 Tb sugar or honey

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 cups flour -- see note

Note: 1 cu can be whole wheat This makes twelve small or 6 large pitas. Sprinkle yeast into water and wait til foamy. Add sugar or honey and salt and stir to dissolve. Beat in 1 cu flour for a smooth batter. Add rest of flour gradually for a fairly soft dough. Knead til smooth. Cover with damp towel; let rise til double. Punch down and knead a few minutes. Divide in 6 or 12 pieces. Knead each unit and roll into 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick circleoids (my word :). The shape and size don't matter so much as thickness. I found it's better to err on the side of too thick, as too thin makes them burn easily and be cracker-like. Use lots of flour when rolling. Let circleoids rest at least 30 minutes covered with damp towel. (I rest them on placemats.) Heat oven to 500F and heat baking sheets. I use just one sheet and bake pitas two at a time. Brush hot sheets with oil or sprinkle with cornmeal. (I have used sesame seeds sucessfully.) Place (slide) pitas on hot sheets and bake just 5 to 8 minutes until puffed like blowfish and perhaps very slightly brown. W! atch closely; they bake fast. Wrap pitas in damp towel and put in paper or plastic grocery bag for 15 minutes. This important step keeps them supple. These are easy to make, very good, and fat-free. They freeze well and thaw fairly quickly.