Saturday, July 31, 2010

Pita Bread Pockets

These pita bread pockets turned out really well.  The first few I rolled out were a little on the small side, but I made the last two much bigger and they held a lot more of the yummy sandwich stuffing.  We tried it with chopped up turkey lunch meat as well grilled barbequed chicken.  My husbands last words were: "we can definitely have these again!"

Pita Bread

1 pkg yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
1/2 C warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 C brown rice flour
1/2 C tapioca flour
1 C sorgum flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 C warm water
1 egg or 1 TBS ground flaxseed mixed with 3 TBS warm water

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 C warm water.  Add sugar and stir until dissolved.  Let stand for 10-15 minutes unitl water is frothy.

Combine flours, xanthan gum and salt in large bowl using a heavy duty mixer (Bosch or Kitchen Aid).  Pour in yeast mixture and egg and mix on meduim for 2 minutes.  Add enough water so that dough is soft and tacky, not liquid.

Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl.  Turn upside down so all dough is oiled.  Allow to sit in a warm place for about 2-3 hours or until it has increased in size.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Using bottom rack of oven, place baking sheet in oven as it preheats.

Pinch of 12 small  pieces of dough and place them on a floured surface.  Roll each ball into a circle about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.  Place several circles on preheated baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes (until bread puffs up).  Turn over and bake for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove pitas from baking sheet with spatula.  Serve immediately.

Fill pitas with favorite sandwich condiments...lettuce, meat, cheese, olives, pickles, mayo and mustard.

FYI:
I use SAF instant yeast which does not need to be proofed.  So I added the dry yeast and sugar to the dry ingredients.  Then when the recipe calls for the liquids, that is when I added the 1/2 C warm water, egg and remaining 1/2-1 C warm water.