Baked Pita Bread with Sesame

La storia di questo piatto

In Greece, bread is the quiet centre of the table, and the puffed pita is its most generous form: a warm round that opens like a held breath. Made only of flour, water, yeast, salt and olive oil, it carries the humble, sun-washed simplicity of the Greek kitchen.

Ingredienti

• 500 g Soft wheat flour
• 300 ml Lukewarm water
• 7 g Fresh brewer's yeast
• 10 g Fine salt
• 30 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 40 g Sesame seeds
• 100 ml Water for brushing

Preparazione

1. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water, not hot or you'll kill it, and let it rest for five minutes: a light foam will form on the surface, a sign that it is alive and ready to work. Meanwhile, place the flour in a mound, add the salt around the edges, away from the centre, and pour the dissolved yeast into the centre, gradually mixing with your fingers until the dough is smooth and soft to the touch.
2. Now add the oil and work the dough energetically for about ten minutes, pressing with the palm of your hand and folding it over on itself: your hands will tell you when it is ready, because it will no longer stick to your fingers and will become smooth as a baby's skin. Shape it into a nice round ball and place it in a bowl greased with oil, turning it slightly so it is coated all over.
3. Cover with a damp cloth, which must not dry out, and place the bowl in a warm corner of the kitchen, at about 25-28°C, away from draughts. Let time do its work: it will take about 60-90 minutes, and you'll know it is ready when the dough has doubled in volume, puffy and soft like a cloud.
4. With floured hands, divide the dough into eight equal pieces, that is two pitas per person for four people, and weigh them by eye if you want the same size for everyone. Form smooth balls by rolling them under your palm. Roll each ball with a rolling pin into a thin disc, three or four millimetres thick, without pressing too hard, otherwise the air won't be able to puff them up well in the oven.
5. Brush each disc with a thin layer of water using wet fingers or a brush, then generously sprinkle with sesame seeds, pressing lightly so they stick well and don't fall off during baking. Place the discs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, spaced apart so they can puff up freely.
6. Heat the oven well, to 230°C, and wait until it has truly reached temperature before baking, otherwise the pitas won't puff properly. Bake for 12-15 minutes and watch the magic: they will swell like balloons and the crust will take on a beautiful golden colour with the seeds crisp on the surface.
7. As soon as they come out of the oven, immediately wrap the hot pitas in a clean tea towel: this is the secret to keeping them soft, because the trapped steam softens the crust instead of letting it harden. Serve them at the table still lukewarm, ideally to be torn apart by hand: you'll smell the toasted sesame, which is marvellous.