Pita Pockets at Home

There is one tiny grocery store in the little town we live in and it is far from fancy. I often feel like my shopping list is more like a list of demands for a potential negotiation or wishful thinking. There's a whole section for dozens of instant oat meals and not a single cylinder of steel cut oats. Another shopper once laughed at me while looking for coconut oil. So I've taken to ordering the "frilly" things on line or stocking up when I make it into "town".

Another item missing from the shelves of our local market is pita pockets, little fluffy discs with a pocket for stuffing full of numminess. Luckily I make most bread items myself, so why should pitas be any different? When I decided I had to have curry chicken salad I also decided I needed pitas to put it in and it wasn't enough to find a recipe, but I had to spin it my way.

 1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons honey
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

-Combine water, oil, salt, and honey, then add yeast.
-Slowly add flours, I always start with the whole wheat and then add my white flours. This way if I don't need the full amount I get all the whole wheat and less of the white. Once combined knead for a few minutes till soft and elastic.
-Place in a lightly oiled bowl , cover, and rise until doubled, about 60 minutes
- Punch down and divide into 8 pieces, roll each piece into circles about 7" in diameter.
-Leave discs on the counter and cover to rise about 25 minutes.
-Pre-heat oven to 500°, I have a wire rack I place in the oven, but you could place them directly on the oven rack. Cook for about 4 minutes. You have to watch them closely because it doesn't take long and if they get too brown they are too hard to fill.
-After removing from the oven place them in a damp towel to cool.

You will have perfect little pitas you can use to make chips, sandwiches or gyros.