3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cups water
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. With a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until all the flour is moistened. Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together.
- Sprinkle a little additional flour onto the counter and scrape the dough onto it. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, adding as little flour as possible. Scrape the dough and gather it together as you knead it. At this point it will be very sticky. Cover it with the inverted bowl and allow it to rest for 5 to 20 minutes.
- Knead the dough for another 5 to 10 minutes or until it is soft and smooth and just a little sticky to the touch. Add a little flour or water if necessary.
- Scrape the dough into a large, lightly-greased bowl. Press the dough down and lightly oil the top of it. Cover bowl. Refrigerate the dough for 4 hours, pressing it down if it starts to rise.
- Preheat oven to 475 F, with a baking sheet on the lowest level of the oven shelf as it preheats.
- Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Work with one piece at a time, shaping each piece into a ball and then flattening it into a disk. Cover the dough with oiled plastic and allow it to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Roll each disk into a circle a little under 1/4 inch thick. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes before baking.
- Quickly place 1 piece of dough directly on the baking sheet, and bake for 3 minutes. The pita should be completely puffed but not beginning to brown. (If the dough does not puff well, it is not moist enough; spray each with water.)
- Proceed with the remaining dough, baking 3 or 4 pieces at a time if using a stone or baking sheet. Transfer the pita breads to a clean towel, to stay soft and warm.