Whole Wheat Pita Bread

On the weekends I'm almost always starting a couple of types of bread to eat throughout the week. Today, I made some whole wheat pitas.

Pita bread is great for so many different meals. Use it as a sandwich for lunch, a base for pizza, for eating dip or crisp it up and make pita chips!

This recipe made seven 5-6 inch pitas

Ingredients, recipe adapted from The Galley Gourmet 
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water, divided
- 1 package dry yeast
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 cup olive oil

1.) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook add the brown sugar, 1/2 cup warm water and the yeast. Let stand for about 5 minutes until foamy
2.) Add the flours, remaining 1/2 water, salt and oil and mix on medium speed until the dough forms a ball and cleans the sides of the bowl
3.) Spray the bowl and dough ball with cooking spray, cover with a towel and let rise for about 1 hour
4.) Punch down the dough and let rise for 20 more minutes
6.) Divide the dough into balls weighing about 3.3 ounces then roll into 5-6 inch circles
7.) Place the circles on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silpats, cover with a dish towel and let rise for 1 hour
8.) While the pitas are rising, heat the oven to 500 F
9.) Once the oven is preheated, cook the pitas for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and puffed up
10.) Let the pitas cool on a cooling rack and enjoy

Brian and I went out while the pitas were in the second rise. When we came back there were suspicious "kitty prints" on one of the pitas. Hmmmmm good thing there was a towel on top!