PITA

I found myself one night this week making curry, and the rice container was empty! Curried lentils alone are not quite right, so I added a generous amount of frozen corn the first night, with good effect. The next night, I still didn't think to buy rice on the way home, so I was looking for a naan recipe and found this pita recipe instead, from Australian Women's Weekly Middle Eastern Easy Style Cookery p 78. It didn't end up with the pocket, like pita is meant to have, so Paul Hollywood would classify it as flatbread. I think the electric skillet wasn't hot enough for that purpose.

It took a while to make, with two breaks to let the dough rise, but it turned out to be perfect for curry and a picnic with chickpea salad and tzaziki yesterday too.

I made 16 instead of 12 because it was easier to divide, but I should have left more space for them to rise the second time, because I ended up having to separate some of them twice. The size was perfect; smaller than the Suraj commercial brand we buy of naan. There was little difference, although they weren't as greasy or caloric since I fried them in an electric griddle with just a little oil. Highest heat, and covering them while they cooked, was essential.

Pita recipe

1 T yeast

1 T honey (sugar was fine)

1/2 cup warm water (body temp)

Combine and cover in warm place for 10 minutes, until frothy. Discard if not frothy and use new dried yeast.

Sift 3 cups white flour and 1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour with 2 tsp salt, or 4 1/2 cups plus enough flour necessary to form a soft dough. Need for 10 minutes. Rest in oiled glass container with cover until doubles, about an hour. 

Divide into same size quantities. 2 by 2 by 2 makes 16. Leave to rise another 30 minutes to double. 

Preheat griddle at top temperature. Roll out into rounds, and fry in  pan brushed with oil. Cover and leave for 2 minutes each side. They should puff up and brown. 

Delicious while warm. Trying them frozen. Good for dipping for a couple days, but dry alone.