Sourdough pita bread is an easy and delicious way to use your sourdough starter! This homemade bread has amazing flavor and texture! A great beginner bread recipe.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the active/fed starter, water, and 210 grams of the flour to form a thick paste.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to autolyse for 30 minutes.
Switch to the dough hook.
Add the sugar, olive oil, salt, and the rest of the flour.
Mix until the dough begins to clear the bottom of the bowl and forms a ball around the hook.
Bulk Ferment
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
Grab the edge of the dough farthest from you and pull it up as high as you can, and then fold it over towards you. Rotate the bowl 90 degres, and repeat the stretch and fold. Repeat until you have folded all four sides of the dough in and it more resembles a ball.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and allow to rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
Stretch and fold the dough all the way around the bowl..
Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and allow to rest on the counter for 60 minutes.
Stretch and fold.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and allow to rest on the counter for 60 minutes. At this point, the dough should be lively, elastic, and airy.
Overnight Proof
Cover the dough tightly and place in the fridge overnight to proof. This helps the texture of the dough and improves the sourdough flavor.
Recipe Note: At this point you can leave the dough in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Baking
Remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to start to come to room temperature.
Place a baking stone or dark colored baking sheet in the lower third of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 450 F.
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball.
Cover the balls with a towel and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
Roll each ball about 6-7” in diameter. If at any time the dough is really springing back a lot, cover them with a towel and allow them to rest for another 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
Place the rolled out dough circles, one or two at a time, on the hot baking stone in the oven. Bake for 3-5 minutes. You do not need to turn them over.
Remove from the oven and wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
This recipe needs active sourdough starter - one that has been fed, bubbly, and has doubled in size.Storage
PIta will keep wrapped in a towel for up to 3 days, although it is best the day it is made.