How do I ensure that pita forms a nice big, even pocket when baking?
I have the opposite problem as Amir's question about thick, fluffy pitas. Whenever I make pita, it's nice and thick and fluffy, but the pocket is small or nonexistent. I would like to use my pita for sandwiches, so the pocket part is important.
Normally when I make pita, I get a pocket forming on one side of the bread, but the other side stays flat. I end up with a lopsided pita that has a pocket too small to stuff anything into. Every once in a while, I get one with a perfect pocket that evenly puffs up the whole pita, but I don't know why it happens sometimes and not others. Could this be caused by uneven heat in my oven? Or is there something about the technique of rolling out the dough that I'm not doing consistently?
Best Answer
The magic word is "water" - the dough needs sufficient moisture to stay moist while it expands to one big pocket and enough to generate the steam to make that pocket.
Most people when doing doughs make them too dry because they're easier to work with. As the dough rests, it will pull together more. Ideally make your doughs for this kind of bread slightly wetter than you think and then check it after its been mixed for 30 minutes or so. Additionally, as you knead and then in the fermentation stage it will firm up some. Difference in water content of the dough causes many of the consistencies for bakers. It will also depend on how much it dries after its been rolled so thin - keep it covered.
Alternatively, if you've put your first one in and found out its too dry, then try spritzing the top with a little water and let it rest there for 5 minutes or so.
I tested batches with spritzing and without, and so long as there's enough water in your dough and the oven is hot enough to make the steam - it doesn't seem to matter. Every one came out perfect.
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Quick Answer about "How do I ensure that pita forms a nice big, even pocket when baking?"
The magic word is "water" - the dough needs sufficient moisture to stay moist while it expands to one big pocket and enough to generate the steam to make that pocket. Most people when doing doughs make them too dry because they're easier to work with. As the dough rests, it will pull together more.How do you get an air pocket in pita bread?
Bake pita bread in small batches (one or two at a time) on a preheated pizza stone or cast iron skillet. The disks of dough will puff up into perfectly baked pockets in just 2 - 3 minutes!Why do my pitas not have pockets?
Pita bread must be cooked in ovens that can get extremely hot (at least 700\xb0 F). The pocket in a pita is made by steam, which puffs up the dough during the baking process. When the bread cools, it becomes flat again but a pocket is left in the middle of the bread.How do you puff up a pita pocket?
yay!) Three or four minutes before you're going to place your pitas in the oven, gently flip them over (this helps with the dispersement of air pockets in the dough) and lightly spritz each disk with water. That's all! The dough will absorb the extra water and puffy pitas will be in your immediate future.How do you get pita bread to puff up?
If the oven temperature is too low, steam won't puff the pitas, and you'll end up with thick pita bread. Preheat the oven to max temperature with the baking stone inside so that the stone is also hot when you place the pitas. Within a matter of 3 to 5 mins you will observe the pitas puffing up.The Softest Pocket Pita: Oven Method
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Answer 2
You need a temperature of at least 250°C (480°F) to get a real good steam puff inside the bread the moment it goes in oven. It is the initial rush of heat that cooks just the outside layer, and also makes steam inside which forces open the bread and makes a pocket. Once the bread is partially cooked through, you wont get a single clean pocket
Traditional middle-eastern ovens are just like fire based brick pizza ovens that are popular in backyards today
Your domestic oven may not get that hot, or be able to hold that heat when you open the door. Using large slabs of steel (up to 10Kg) or stone may help hold the heat better, and get that initial puff going
Some people use electric frying pans on maximum with the lid, to cook them one at a time
Indian naan bread has the same issue
In some areas you will find weird pans like this. They have a lid to make a single pita oven
Answer 3
To add one more tip to the excellent advice of both rfusca and Laura:
How you roll it out does matter. After resting the dough, you should pull off balls an roll them out smoothly, from the center, in a few quick rolls. Three issues will rolling out will prevent pitas from pocketing well:
- If you allow the dough to fold over at all while rolling out
- If you press several pieces of dough together or "patch"
- If you spend too long rolling out the dough round
Any of the above will cause the dough to compress in spots, and the top of the dough will not separate from the bottom. You'll either get a malformed pocket or none at all.
Answer 4
The reason behind getting some pitas puffy and others not as you said is 1) enough water and 2) heat.
You need an oven that produces higher temperature than regular ovens such as the portable ones they use in the Arab world. Or (TOG) ovens with 30 liters capacity and power not less than 1500 watts and bypass the thermostat (as I did in my house). With these you will get high enough temperature and all your pitas will come out just fantastic.
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