Pita Bread

[Anna N]

I have used this recipe many, many times to make pita bread. Usually one or two never puff up but enough do that I just pass it off as one of those things. This morning I made a batch of dough and not a single pita puffed up. I tossed the lot in the trash and started again. Believe it or not, NONE of the second batch puffed either. What is going wrong? I used the same set up as always, followed the recipe as always, used the same ingredients, etc. My yeast is fresh and the dough itself rises properly. I simply have no clues as to why they are not puffing in the oven and am reluctant to try a third batch until I find out.

[Kerry Beal]

I have used this recipe many, many times to make pita bread.  Usually one or two never puff up but enough do that I just pass it off as one of those things.  This morning I made a batch of dough and not a single pita puffed up.  I tossed the lot in the trash and started again.  Believe it or not, NONE of the second batch puffed either.    What is going wrong?  I used the same set up as always, followed the recipe as always, used the same ingredients, etc.  My yeast is fresh and the dough itself rises properly.  I simply have no clues as to why they are not puffing in the oven and am reluctant to try a third batch until I find out.

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Only thing I can think of is oven temperature, are you sure your oven thermostat hasn't gone off?

Weird because it has worked before.

[Bill44]

It is possible that the temperature you have been using in the past may be just borderline for the "puff" to take place, as evidenced by some of them not puffing.

An increase in temperature may work.

[Shaya]

Anna, I think it has to do with the moisture of the bread. I make pita often from Jeffrey Alford and Naomi DuGuid's recipe and they always puff up, but I remember reading somewhere else that if the pita does not puff up, adding a but of water might help.

Edited June 28, 2006 by Shaya (log)

[Anna N]

Tomorrow I will be up early to try once again. I will check the oven temperature although I made pita bread just a week ago and no problems. I guess the gauge could have changed since then. It's all I can think of. I had this down to a fine art! Thanks for the replies.

Edited to add:

So I checked my oven temperature and it was accurate. I tried once again. After the first two failed to puff I considered falling on my bench scraper but then decided since it seemed all was lost, what harm could it do to up the oven temperature by 10 F? After this, all was well! But the mystery remains since I have made them so many times before without much of a problem. I am starting to believe in Kitchen Karma and my have to acquire a kitchen god.

Once again thanks for the advice.

Edited June 29, 2006 by Anna N (log)

[Kayakado]

We always shaped the loaves by folding the edges into the center, kind of like that new crunchy taco thing and they always formed nice big pockets when they cooked.

[Anna N]

We always shaped the loaves by folding the edges into the center, kind of like that new crunchy taco thing and they always formed nice big pockets when they cooked.

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Hmmm. That is interesting. Do you re-roll after you fold?

I just roll them into something that might be mistaken for a circle on a good day!

[Shaya]

We always shaped the loaves by folding the edges into the center, kind of like that new crunchy taco thing and they always formed nice big pockets when they cooked.

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Hmmm. That is interesting. Do you re-roll after you fold?

I just roll them into something that might be mistaken for a circle on a good day!

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I do something similar. Form a sphere by tucking in all the edges toward the center, then flip it over, flatten it with your palm, and roll it out to the desired width.

[Anna N]

We always shaped the loaves by folding the edges into the center, kind of like that new crunchy taco thing and they always formed nice big pockets when they cooked.

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Hmmm. That is interesting. Do you re-roll after you fold?

I just roll them into something that might be mistaken for a circle on a good day!

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I do something similar. Form a sphere by tucking in all the edges toward the center, then flip it over, flatten it with your palm, and roll it out to the desired width.

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I am pretty sure that is exactly what I do. Form it like you would a bun or round loaf of bread before flattening it and rolling it out.

[DocDougherty]

We always shaped the loaves by folding the edges into the center, kind of like that new crunchy taco thing and they always formed nice big pockets when they cooked.

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It has been a long time since I made pita, but I remember using the same technique as for rolling chapatis except that the pita dough is leavened. Take a puffy ball of dough, flatten it with the palm of your hand on some excess flour, then use a tapered rolling pin. Press down on the right end and roll forward; press down on the left end and roll back. Repeat until you reach the size you want. The pita comes out round and slightly thicker in the middle than on the edges. The excess flour acts as a dry lubricant and allows the dough to rotate (counter-clockwise) as your roll it out. Once you get the hang of it you can do them quite fast.

I set them on a tray, covered them with a towel then with a plastic sheet to let them rise before baking - just until they are puffy. I used to make them on a gas BBQ when I lived in Arlington VA to keep from heating up the kitchen in the summer. Had some initial problems with getting them to puff, but with the right thickness, dough condition, and temperature (hot, hot as Bill44 points out) they were consistent every week.

Doc

Edited July 3, 2006 by DocDougherty (log)

[Anna N]

Thanks Doc. I am determined to try them again very soon but the frustrating thing for me is that until this recent episode, I thought I was Queen of pita for our family. I could whip them off just like that. There was no fancy rolling, folding or anything else. I followed FoodMan's recipe and I had pita bread.