Instant Pot Pita Bread
Instant Pot Pita Bread - an easy Homemade Pita Pocket Bread Recipe where the dough is proofed in the Instant Pot. You'll love these fresh, extremely soft, fragrant, puffy homemade pitas.
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Servings: 12 Pitas
Calories: 194kcal
Cost: $3
Equipment
Ingredients
For Proofing the Yeast
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp regular white sugar
- 1 cup luke warm water , temp - 100 to 110 F or 40 C ** VERY IMPORTANT
For the Pita Dough
- 3 cups all purpose flour unbleached flour recommended
- ¾ cups whole wheat flour
- 2.5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp regular white sugar
- 2.5 tsp Kosher Salt or sea salt
- ½ cup water
Additional Ingredients
- oil spray for greasing the dough proofing bowl
- 1.5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil for rubbing on the dough surface
- extra flour for dusting
Instructions
1. Proof the Yeast
- Add all the ingredients mentioned above in the "For Proofing the Yeast" section. Whisk until the yeast is dissolved completely. Allow to rest undisturbed for 10-20 mins. You'll have a frothy, foamy mixture at the end. That means that the Yeast is alive & perfect for the recipe.
2. Form the Dough
- Take a large bowl, add all the flours, salt and sugar mentioned above in the "For the Dough" section. Whisk to incorporate all the dry ingredients together.
- Now, add the wet ingredients like - the frothy proofed yeast mixture, the olive oil and the ½ cup water. Mix with the help of a spatula first & than mix with your hands to form a sticky dough. The dough will be very sticky & messy at this stage.
3. Knead the Dough
- Sprinkle a little flour on the clean work surface, turn out the sticky dough, sprinkle some more flour on top of the dough and begin to knead it with the help of your both hands until a smooth, elastic dough forms with a fabulous sheen. Took me around 10-12 mins. The pulling & stretching technique of kneading helps a lot (refer the recipe steps + Video). Sprinkle flour sparingly as needed and knead more.
- The dough at the end should be elastic, should spring back when pressed with a finger but should not be sticky. It'll look very smooth, neat & shiny.
- Try to shape the dough into a smooth round ball. It's all ready for proofing in the Instant Pot.
4. Proof the Dough
- Spray the inner steel pot of the Instant Pot with any neutral oil or olive oil. Place the dough gently in the centre of the steel pot. Add 1.5 tablespoons olive oil on the dough and rub on the surface. This will prevent the dough from drying.
- Place the transparent lid of the Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot on YOGURT settings at NORMAL for 1 hour.
- After the 1 hour cycle the Instant Pot will begin to beep. Remove the lid and you'll have a perfectly proofed Pita Dough almost double in size.
5. Roll the Pitas
- Gently deflate the risen dough with your hand and take it out on a lightly dusted work surface. Divide into 12 equal portions.
- Shape each dough portion into balls. Cover with a cotton cloth and allow the portions to rise for another 30 minutes.
- Take out one portion at a time on a lightly dusted work surface, sprinkle some flour on top of the dough ball and roll it into a circle about 8-9 inches wide with the help of a flour dusted rolling pin. We prefer ¼ thick pitas.
- Lift & turn the pitas as you roll them in order to prevent the from sticking. Dust with little flour sparingly as needed. If the dough springs back while rolling allow it to rest for about 5 mins and than resume rolling them again. Repeat the process until you are done rolling all the Pitas.
- Always keep the rolled out pitas on a lightly dusted surface or on a parchment paper & cover them with a cotton cloth. This will prevent them from drying out.
6. Bake the Pitas on the Stove Top
- Place a cast iron skillet over high heat on the stove top. Brush it with oil & wipe off any excess oil.
- When its sufficiently hot place a rolled out Pita and cook for 30 seconds or until you see bubbles forming on the surface. Flip and bake until brown spots form on the underside (!-2 mins). Flip again and bake until the underside is nicely toasted. The pita will begin to puff up now and balloon.
- If some pitas doesn't puff up or partially puffs gently press down the pita with the help of your spatula or a clean cloth and allow it to balloon.
- Store the baked pitas wrapped in a clean cotton cloth until ready to serve.
7. Bake Pitas in the Oven
- Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F along with a baking sheet or a baking stone in the middle rack.
- Place the pitas on the hot baking sheet or stone as many as can fit (leave about ½ inch space between the pitas).
- Bake for 3 minutes. The Pitas will balloon completely after 1-2 mins. Cover them with a clean cotton cloth and store until served.
Video
Notes
- Measuring Units Used, 1 cup = 240 ml & 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.
- Always keep the dough, dough portions and rolled out pitas covered with a clean cotton cloth. This will prevent them from drying out and forming a skin.
- Skillet Bake: If the Pitas do not puff up or puffs up only partially you can gently press the pita with a clean cloth or your spatula. This pressure will help them puff up.
- Always use extra flour sparingly while kneading the dough and rolling out the pitas. DO NOT use too much flour. Just sprinkles of flour should be fine as needed.
- Proofing Dough without Instant Pot: Proof it in a regular large greased bowl covered and keep it in a warm place for 2-3 hours or until double in size. Even better keep the bowl inside the oven with the oven light switched on. This expédiâtes the proofing process.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Pita Bread
Amount Per Serving
Calories 194
Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 486mg21%
Potassium 66mg2%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 4g8%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 2mg11%
* Read our privacy policy - Calorie information is provided as a courtesy only and should be leveraged as an estimate rather than a guarantee.Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition
Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 2mg