Ever wondered how to make your own gyro pita bread? Then you're in the right place! This easy recipe will help you bake this delicious, fluffy and soft flatbread at home.
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What are the key ingredients for this gyro pita bread?
This Greek-style pita bread is mainly made of flour and dried yeast, together with other basic store cupboard staples.
- Strong white bread flour is best for this flatbread. As this type of flour is intended for use in bread, it will mean that the dough will rise nicely and the final bread will be soft and fluffy. It will also feel a little bit lighter than if you used all-purpose (plain) flour. However, plain flour can be used if you currently don't have any bread flour in stock!
- Dried yeast, also known as fast-action or instant yeast, helps the dough to rise. Dried yeast is a fantastic pantry ingredient, which I swear by! There is no need to be afraid of using it. Your success is guaranteed as long as you follow my instructions closely!
- The remaining ingredients are sugar, rock salt, lukewarm water, extra virgin olive oil, and sunflower oil.
Please note that 500g of strong white bread flour in this recipe is enough for 8-10 flatbreads, depending on how thick the flatbread is.
Keep in mind that thick pita bread needs to be fried/cooked for a little bit longer, to make sure it's fully cooked.
What to look out for when using dried yeast?
Dried yeast is a wonderful raising agent for baking. Similarly to fresh yeast, it is sensitive to high and low temperatures.
For the best results, don’t add anything too hot to the dough. Hot temperatures kill off the yeast and the dough won’t rise. If unsure, use room-temperature water instead!
Low temperatures can also slow down the rising of the dough. If your kitchen is too cold, place the bowl with the dough mix in a cold oven. Cover with a wet tea towel, close the oven's door and check it after 45mins-1 hour. It will rise much faster in this 'microclimate'.
How to store pita bread?
Once completely cooled down, this pita bread can be stored in an airtight food container (or in a sealed plastic bag) in your food cupboard for up to 3 days.
Did you make too much of this? You can also freeze pita bread! Let it cool down and place it in an airtight & freezer-safe food container in your freezer. It will keep there for up to 3 months.
Remember to defrost the flatbread fully before serving. This can be done at room temperature, at least half an hour or one hour before serving.
This pita bread can be served cold or warm.
How to warm up pita bread?
You can reheat this homemade flatbread in three different ways:
- on a pan
- in the oven
- in a microwave
Choose a method that is the most convenient for you. Remember not to reheat the bread again after it has already been warmed up once.
Warming pita bread on a pan
- Use a large non-stick frying pan and set on medium-high heat.
- When hot, add one flatbread. Fry for about 1 minute on each side and set aside. Keep covered so that it stays warm until serving. Repeat with all remaining pita bread and serve.
Reheating pita bread in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Once hot, sprinkle the flatbread with a few drops of cold water and place in the middle shelf of the oven for about 5-7 minutes. Take care when taking it out, it will be piping hot. Serve as soon as possible.
Pita bread can also be reheated in a microwave
- Place the pita bread on a microwave-safe plate, sprinkle with a few drops of cold water and reheat for 10 seconds on high settings.
- If reheating more flatbreads at once, add 10 seconds for each. Serve immediately.
What to serve this flatbread with?
This Mediterranean pita goes very well with salads, dips and spreads, such as hummus, taramasalata or tzatziki.
Try it with this Greek-inspired lentil, beetroot and feta salad.
This flatbread can be cut into small pieces, or rolled in wraps filled with your favourite grilled fish, meat, cheese and vegetables.
Lastly, this freshly made bread also tastes amazing on its own!
Enjoy it as an appetiser or a side dish served with with some extra virgin olive oil.
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📖 Recipe
Homemade gyro pita bread
Ingredients
- 7 g fast-action instant dried yeast (1 sachet)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 335 ml lukewarm water (40C)
- 500 g strong white bread flour or plain/all-purpose flour plus some for dusting
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon rock salt
- 100 ml sunflower or vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl mix dried yeast, sugar and lukewarm water. Leave in a warm spot for about 10 mins until it becomes bubbly and frothy.
- In another bowl, mix together flour, rock salt and olive oil. Add this to the mix of water and yeast.
- Using your hands, knead everything together for about 5 to 10 minutes until you get an elastic and sticky dough.
- Make a rounded dough ball, leave it at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Cover with a clean and wet tea towel and leave in a warm spot until it doubles in size.
- Once the pita bread dough has risen, knead it on a dusted surface for about a minute. Cut the dough in half and each half into 4-5 portions (you will get 8-10 portions in total).
- On a dusted surface, roll each of the dough portions so that it is about 3mm thick.
- In a large frying pan, add about 1 ½ tablespoon sunflower/vegetable oil and set on medium-high heat. When hot, add first rolled pita bread and fry for about 2-3 minutes each side until slightly brown on top. Take off the heat and set aside. Repeat with the remaining portions of bread. Serve immediately with your favourite dips, spreads, salads or as a side dish.
Notes
- When using yeast, make sure you don’t add anything too hot to the dough. Hot temperatures kill off the yeast and the dough won’t rise.
- For best results, avoid using sea salt in this gyro pita bread recipe. Sea salt has got higher levels of sodium which may prevent the dough from rising. Use rock salt instead.
- Sometimes it can be too cold indoors for the dough to rise fast. Put it in a cold (closed) oven where it rises relatively quickly, no matter the weather conditions.
- strong white bread flour for plain/all-purpose flour
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