Restaurant style Greek flatbread or pita

I have been on a quest to find a really great flatbread/pita recipe ever since I moved to the south and found that there are none to be had in the stores. If I want really great pitas I have to pay through the nose for them at the local Greek restaurant and that just ain't gonna happen. I have finally found a recipe to suit my tastes: a little soft, a little chewy, and a little crispy. (I'm not demanding of a pita at all right?!) This is a 2 step process of baking the pitas first and then toasting them when you are ready to eat. These are not pita pockets and will not puff up like a pita pocket. If you are interested in a pita pocket recipe click here. Next batch will be much bigger because these were gobbled up by my family very quickly! These are terrific plain, with hummus, or wrapped around a chicken souvlaki.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1/2 cup of warm water
• 4 cups of bread flour
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 cup of warm water
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Preparation:

Dissolve in the yeast and honey in 1/2 cup of warm water and set aside, covered, for 15 minutes. Dissolve salt in the remaining 1 cup of warm water.

In a large mixing bowl, add flour and make a well in the center. Add yeast mixure and salt water. Knead with hands for 10 minutes in the bowl. Add olive oil and continue to knead until all oil is absorbed. OR, in your electric mixer combine flour, yeast mixture and salt water, Mix for 5 minutes or low to medium speed. 

Shape into a ball in the bowl, cover, and place in a warm area to rise until doubled in volume, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead for 5 minutes more.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), and lightly oil baking sheets.

Take pieces of dough slightly larger than an egg and roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of 3/8 to 1/4 inch. (For larger or smaller pita bread pieces, take more or less dough). Prick the bread with a fork in several places.

Place on baking sheets and bake at 350°F (175°C) on the lowest oven rack for 2-3 minutes, then turn the pitas over and bake for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a tray covered with a clean dishtowel, with another clean towel on top. When thoroughly cooled, pitas can be stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or frozen.

Before using, brown in a lightly oiled frying pan for a few minutes until browned on both sides.