August 15, 2020 - 2:45pm
Pita bread
Anyone here make pita?
I'm using the pan method, and I rarely get an air pocket. Even when I do, it's only about half the pita. What are possible reasons for this? Other than the lack of an air pocket, the taste and texture seem fine, but it's not really a pita without it :(
Also wondering if oven + stone is going to give me better results.
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The most common reason for no pocket is that your temperature is too low. Consider covering the pan to hold in more heat and turning that heat up! The other common reason is that your pita is too thick so it is taking too long for steam to be generated inside. I usually roll them to about 1/8-1/4" thick. Try that and let me know if you still have trouble.
Thanks! It's unlikely to be an issue with over/under proofing right? I assume the pocket is generated by steam.
The other guess I had is that maybe the dough needs more hydration. I'm using Central Milling's ABC and it's a very "thirsty" flour.
Over or under-proofing will change the thickness of the walls (eg, one side will be thick and the other side paper thin) but it should not have much effect on actually getting a pocket. I use ABC+ exclusively, it is an 11.5% protein flour which is not more than many all purpose flours. Your hydration level should be around 65%.
Thanks. Not sure what I'm doing wrong then. My pan is super hot. Everyone is showing cooking a couple minutes on each side, mine would be burnt by then lol.
Probably it is too thick. Try rolling out a thinner disc and I'll bet you will get a pocket.
In a 500F oven on a stone you will probably achieve better results.
My fave pitas are baked too.
How long do you preheat the oven?
It's a toaster oven, top and bottom heating elements, no fan.
I use a 9.25" Lodge cast iron plate (handle-less griddle) to cook on.
10 minutes.
Zuri, would you mind sharing your formula and method? I tried then many years ago and they were a flop.
Sure Danny, but I still need to publish a plain white pita. What I have done is a 50% whole wheat version and a sourdough version.
https://wheatbeat.com/pita-bread-50-whole-wheat/
https://wheatbeat.com/sourdough-pita/
In the first post, if you scroll down to the end I give some troubleshooting tips. One new tip I can share is that allowing the discs to dry out a little during the proof (low humidity proofing) will help with pocket formation.
https://wheatbeat.com/pita-experiment/
I appreciate the time it takes to publish such thorough write ups. I plan to try the yeasted version. Have you found that SD produces a more chewy texture than commercial yeast?
It is interesting that your experiment showed that the uncovered (dry) proofs produced the best results.
Would you happen to have the Famag speed and timings? I am new to the IM-5, so any help with this is appreciated.
Great, let me know how it works out. I did not find the SD version to be particularly chewy even though a chewy pita would not be a bad thing. Keep in mind if you are doing the whole wheat version to use less water if you are not making fresh milled flour.
As for the IM-5, I am going to sound really, really snobby now, so I apologize in advance Danny. But you should strive to get a certain level of gluten development and not focus on a specific time or speed. The only rule I can give you is to always start on the lowest speed for 5 minutes to incorporate all the ingredients and to fully hydrate the flour (make sure to scrape down the bowl after about 2 minutes of this). Then go to the highest speed until you achieve proper development. Incidentally, Hamelman does 4 minutes of this, but Didier Rosada does 5 min. I do 5 minutes on every single formula I make.
So the only variation between formulas is the amount of time on high speed (Speed 2). On my bigger mixer, 1 minute will develop my dough less than 1 minute on yours. My flour will also behave differently than yours, and other factors of course are humidity and temperature. The key is to learn how to stop after a couple of minutes of high speed, feel your dough, open a window and decide if you need to keep going or stop.
With my flour, on my mixer, in my geographic location, I get to an improved mix after 3 minutes on the highest speed. So bottom line: 5 minutes on lowest speed with a bowl scrape at 2 minutes, then 3 minutes on the highest speed.
Incidentally, the SD recipe does list Famag mixer times. Any new recipe I do now has those included.
Let me know if you need more help!
I’m busy right now with an outdoor project, but when I get a chance I plan to try the Pitas. Will try to remember to post my results.
Thanks for the Famag advice...
Alright, progress with the second batch! Interestingly enough, the pan was too hot. After a few minutes of flipping the pocket starts to form.
But...the walls are uneven. The top part where the pocket formed is super thin, and the bottom is thick. Ideas? Possibly underproofed? The darn poke test never works for me...
Take a look at the troubleshooting section at the bottom. I would also try to do this in the oven not in a pan.
https://wheatbeat.com/pita-bread-50-whole-wheat/
Is there such a thing as "too hot" when it comes to making these pitas? I had more success in the oven but they bottom cooks way too quickly and before the top gets any color.
Yes, there can be a too hot griddle or oven.
The ideal temp could also vary by thickness, hydration, and flour composition (how much bran.)
It is also advisable, in my opinion, to flip the pita even when you bake in an oven, so that both sides brown evenly.
I use a bakking stone that I place high up in the oven. I preheat to 250°c / 482°f.
I bake them for about 7 minutes.
Levain
50 gram bread flour
50 gram water
10 gram starter
Dough
295 gram bread flour
155 gram water
7 gram salt
7 gram olive oil
7 gram honey
All the levain
I make the levain the night before. And when it is ready I keep it in the fridge.
I let it ferment to a 120/125 rise and then put the container in the fridge.
Next dat (plm 24 hours) I get it out the fridge form 4 dough balls and let them relaxe until the oven is hot enough .
Then I use a rolling pin to flatten them to ± 4 mm.
EC06ABB3-5773-4188-9C2B-FD005E9A0B01.jpeg
Been a while since i've made pita or naan, but I remember using a spatula to press down on the puffy part a bit (not all the way down) to force the rest of the pita pocket to expand. Do this early when part of the pita is clearly puffed and one part is sticking, it's send the steam pressure over the the stuck part and encourage it to separate.