Whole Wheat Pita Bread in the Bread Machine

Thank you to Heidi for the recipe! I made it last weekend and ate it this weekend (it was in the freezer all week). Very tasty pita bread, and wonderful with roasted garlic hummus.

1.5 pound:  

1 and 1/8 water

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

1.5 tsp sugar

1.5 tsp active dry yeast 

1 pound:

7/8 cup water

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp oil

1 tsp sugar

1.5 tsp active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in bread pan, select Dough setting, and press Start.

When dough has risen long enough, the machine will beep.  Turn off bread machine, remove bread pan, and turn out dough onto a floured countertop or cutting board.  Gently roll and stretch dough into a 12 inch rope.

1.5 pound:  with a sharp knife, divide dough into 8 pieces

1 pound:  with a sharp knife, divide dough into 6 pieces

Roll each piece into a smooth ball.  With a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 6 inch circle.  Set aside on a lightly floured countertop:  cover with a towel.  Let pitas rise about 30 minutes until slightly puffy.

Position oven rack in the middle of oven:  preheat to 500ºF.  Place 2 or 3 pitas on a wire cake rack.  Place cake rack directly onto oven rack.  Bake pitas 4 to 5 minutes until puffed and tops begin to brown.  Remove from oven and immediately place pitas in a sealed brown paper bag or cover them with a damp kitchen towel until soft.  Once the pitas are softened, either cut in half or split open the top edge for half or whole pitas.   They can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for 1 to 2 months.