According to Charles Van Over, a food processor, an instant-read thermometer, and a baking stone are the only equipment essential to making the best bread you will ever eat. You also have to be willing to make a leap of faith, following his precise method meticulously: the bread dough must be made in a food processor.
No bread is easier to make and offers more pleasure than this pita bread. Children love to watch pita breads miraculously puff up in the oven. Because whole wheat flour absorbs more water than many wheat flours, this dough is relatively dry. If you use all-purpose flour, you may not need to add the reserved water.
The key to successful pita is not to overbake it, especially if you plan to fill it for sandwiches. Any dark parts may become brittle when cool causing holes in the pita bread and making that piece unsuitable for stuffing.
Makes 12 (7-inch) pocket breads
Fermentation:
3 1/2 to 4 hours at room temperature,
70 degrees F to 72 degrees F
Place the flour, salt, and yeast in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Using an instant-read thermometer, adjust the water temperature so that the combined temperatures of the flour and water is base temperature of 130 degrees F if using a Cuisinart or KitchenAid or 150 degrees F if using a Braun. Add the vegetable oil to the water. With the machine running, pour all but 2 tablespoons of the water though the feed tube. Process for 20 seconds. Stop the machine and using a wooden spoon break up any dough that has become stuck under the metal blade. Process 25 seconds longer, adding the remaining water during the last 10 seconds if the dough seems too dry, for a total mixing time of 45 seconds.
Stop the machine, and take the temperature of the dough with an instant-read thermometer, which should read between 75 degrees F and 80 degrees F. If the temperature is lower than 75 degrees F, process the dough for an additional 5 seconds, up to twice more, until the dough reaches the desired temperature. If the temperature is higher than 80 degrees F, remove the thermometer, scrape the dough from the food processor into an ungreased bowl, and refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes. Check the temperature of the dough after 5 minutes, the dough should be 80 degrees F or cooler by that time.
Scrape the dough into a large ungreased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough ferment for 3 1/2 to 4 hours at room temperature, 70 degrees F to 72 degrees F.
One hour before baking, put the oven rack on the second shelf from the bottom of the oven and place the baking stone on the rack. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and with a knife or dough scraper cut it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball, cover the balls with a towel or plastic wrap and leave them to rest on the floured work surface for 10 minutes.
Flatten each ball of dough with a rolling pin into a 7-inch circle. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest 5 minutes.
Place 4 or 5 pieces of flattened dough on a peel or the back of a baking sheet that has been lightly dusted with flour. Use the peel or baking sheet to slide the pita breads directly onto the heated baking stone. Or bake the pita breads on an ungreased baking sheet placed directly in the oven. Bake the breads for 6 to 7 minutes until they are lightly browned and well puffed. Remove the breads to a wire rack to cool and bake the remaining pitas.
To keep the pita breads soft and pliable, store the cooled bread tightly sealed in a plastic bag until ready to use.
