I've Got Sunshine in my Pita Pocket

On this rainy last day of November, our day was filled with loving embraces.

Gentle cuddles.

And warm doughy pita pockets.  

It may be raining outside but we've got sunshine in our pockets here on Gael Glen Farm.

Our next pita project?  Naan.

Recipe: Gael Glen Farm Pita Pockets (inspired by: https://frugalfamilyhome.com/food/recipes/pita-pocket-bread-recipe)

1 tablespoon Yeast
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/2 cup Warm Water
2 teaspoons Salt
1/3 cup Milk
2 cups Hot Water
7 cups Flour

Mix yeast, sugar, milk and warm water in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve yeast and let sit about 5-10 minutes until yeast foams.

Add the hot water and mix to combine.

Mix salt into flour.  Add in the flour a cup or two at a time and mix well. You want the dough drier and not sticky.

Knead dough for about 5 minutes.

Cover and let rise 30 minutes.

Divide into 1/2 cup balls.

Cover balls and let them rise for 30 minutes.

While dough balls are rising, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. If you have a baking stone or steel put it on the lowest rack and let it preheat too. You want the oven very hot to get the bread to puff properly.

Roll dough balls out into an oblong shape.

Bake the pocket bread for 3-5 minutes or until puffed but not brown at all. If the dough starts to brown before fully puffed remove from the oven.

After removing the pocket bread from the oven, place in a dish towel to deflate and cool.

Once cool, cut in half. If the two layers stick use a knife to carefully separate the layers.

We're Off to Greece

In my quest to expand my culinary horizons and avoid thinking about the unpleasant weather drawing nearer, I ventured into pitas today.  My first attempt was a Greek souvlaki style pita bread.  

It turned out well and we enjoyed a Greek-inspired dinner with all the fixings.

Recipe: Gael Glen Farm Greek Pita Bread (inspired by: https://akispetretzikis.com/categories/pswmia-zymes/pites-gia-soyvlaki)

160 ml milk, at room temperature
80 ml water, at room temperature
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons yeast
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Combine the sugar, yeast, oil, water and milk.  Set the bowl aside for 5 minutes, until the mixture starts to froth.
In another bowl, combine the flour, salt and oregano.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture in batches. 

Knead in mixer on speed 2 for 3 min.
Cover and let it rest for about 40 minutes, until it rises and doubles in size.
Place a cast iron pan over medium heat.
Press on the dough to remove the air and cut into 6 equal sized pieces.
Use a rolling pin to roll out each piece of dough to a circle 20 cm in diameter.
Cook the pita bread for 1 minute on each side in the pan, until they puff up slightly and turn slightly brown.

In addition to the homemade pitas, we turned homegrown potatoes into lemon garlic roast potatoes, our parsley into a chopped parsley salad with a garlic and lemon dressing, and whipped up homemade tzatziki.  We rarely eat beef, so the marinated beef kabobs cooked up on the BBQ were a real treat.  

The next few days are supposed to be a really awful rain/snow combo, so I figure I will start now and just continue to imagine I am on vacation in Greece until the weather improves.  Maybe I should try my hand at baklava next?