Whole Wheat Pita Bread

pita

• 1 3/4 cups King Arthur Organic 100% White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 to 1 1/8 cups lukewarm water*
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• plain or herb/spice infused olive oil, to brush on finished pitas
• *Use the greater amount in winter or in a dry climate; the lesser amount in summer or a humid climate.

• tips from our bakers

  • Why the addition of orange juice in the pita dough? It helps tame the mildly tannic flavor of whole wheat. Can you leave it out? Of course; simply substitute water.
  • 1) Combine all of the pita ingredients (except the oil for brushing), and mix and knead to make a soft, smooth dough.
    2) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or large measuring cup, cover it, and let it rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it's just about doubled in bulk. Towards the end of the rising time, start to preheat your oven to 450°F, with a pizza stone on the bottom shelf, if you have one.
    3) Gently deflate the dough, and divide it into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, cover them, and let them rest for 10 minutes.
    4) Working with two pieces of dough at a time, roll each into a 6" circle. If you roll the dough about 7" wide, it'll shrink back to about 6".  Don't roll them too thin, or they won't puff up.
    5) Carefully flop the dough onto the hot pizza stone. If you're not using a pizza stone, put it on an ungreased baking sheet, and put the baking sheet on your oven's bottom rack.
    6) Bake for 4 minutes. The pitas should rise enthusiastically. If they're on a stone, they'll probably puff up like balloons; if they're on a baking sheet, they'll still expand; just not as vigorously.
    7) Turn the pitas over, and bake for an additional 60 seconds.
    8) Remove them from the oven, and brush with your favorite olive oil, plain or flavored. Wrap lightly in a cotton towel, to keep them soft. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.