How to Make Puff Bread_Baking Techniques

How to Make Puff Bread

Large loaves of leavened bread are primarily seen in cultures based in Northern and Western Europe, where plentiful forests and cold weather made long-lasting fires both possible and desirable. In warmer, less-forested countries, quick-cooking flatbreads are more practical. One of the best known of those is pita bread, made in many versions throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. It's sometimes called "puff bread," because the bread puffs up like a balloon to create its characteristic pocket.

Things You'll Need

Rolling pin
2 clean kitchen towels

Baking stone, cast-iron griddle or heavy sheet pan
Spray bottle filled with water

Instructions

Prepare the dough according to your favorite recipe, and let it rise as directed. Form the dough into portions the size of a tennis ball for small pita, or larger as desired.
Roll or pat the balls of dough into circles approximately 1/4 inch thick. The more evenly you can roll them, the better they'll puff. Space your rounds of dough on a floured surface and cover them with a clean towel. Allow the rounds to rise again until slightly puffed.
Place a baking stone or cast-iron griddle in your oven, and preheat it to its maximum temperature. If you don't have a baking stone or griddle, use your heaviest baking sheet. Let this improvised "hearth" heat for at least 20 minutes before baking your breads.
Mist the tops of two or three rounds using a spray bottle filled with water, and slide them onto your baking stone or griddle. Close the oven immediately, and bake the rounds for six to 10 minutes until they're browned and puffy. Don't open the oven door to peek at them during this time, or you'll lose too much heat for them to puff.
Remove the first group of pitas from your oven and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel. Wait for the oven to return to temperature, then repeat until all the breads are baked.

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