The pita has a new following

Recipe by Chef Dalia

Nothing says “home” to me more than pita bread. I recall the aroma that oozes from the oven and pervades the whole neighborhood. Then, the smell quickly takes second place to the taste of freshly baked pita bread. One bite of a naked pita is ecstasy, but smother it with hummus, and you are transported to heaven.

If you have ever been to Israel, you’d know that the pita bread there is nothing like the dried disks of pita we get here. In Israel, the pita is smaller, fluffier and chewy, an airy dream and so delicious it’s hard to stop eating it. And it’s usually filled with four or five sauces and salads, falafel, of course; possibly shawarma.

My favorite, however, is fresh pita (baked that day) to mop up freshly made hummus and tahini. There’s just nothing like it. In fact, when you buy a bag of pita from the shuk (market), you can literally see the steam on the inside of the bag. That means the pita was bagged while it was still warm from the oven – a very good sign.

Even before bread, the pita was there, under the ancient genre of “flat bread.” Originally, the pita was meant to hold food, a kind of substitute for plates. Things have changed since then; the meek Israeli pita has gone through a gourmet makeover, changing from an ancient daily bread to the sacred holder of our classic street food to the trendy, casual, stylish dining markers of an ever-changing updated Israeli cuisine. You won’t believe what Israeli chefs put into pita these days.

Quite a few culinary trends penetrated the Israeli market during the pandemic in 2020, despite the difficult year for the restaurant industry in Israel due to COVID-19. Above them all stands the pita, which, this year, made a comeback in all sorts of shapes, flavors and colors.

Keep an open mind and an increased appetite. In 2020, we ate almost anything in pita. 2021 is expected to be much more interesting. Combinations that your mind does not even know exist, from ossobuco and spicy lamb arayes, toppings, eggplant and spicy chutney beets to pita stuffed with meat or fish ceviche, pita with burika (deep-fried dough filled with egg or potato) and even spaghetti Bolognese in pita.

Personal Chef Dalia Hemed can be reached at daliahemed@msn.com.

Being honest for a moment, these days, I mostly see pitas when I’m cutting them in half by hand to spoon in some chocolate spread for an evening dessert. Chocolate sandwiches, after all, are to Israeli children what peanut butter and jelly is to American ones. If you haven’t tried it yet, now is the time.

It’s easy and simple to make. Make from white dough balls of risen dough, roll out into thin circles, and then bake at the highest temperature possible, so they get a sudden blast of heat necessary for them to puff them up, leaving a hollow center.

The difference between the other pitas in the market and the thicker, fluffier

Israeli ones, is as simple as additional rising time, highquality white flour mix with whole wheat flour and more water in the dough that adds more flavors.

My hope for all of you is that you can make it to Israel one day to experience the incredible food scene. In the meantime, instead of storebought pita, make a batch of your own fluffy homemade pita bread to get a taste of the real deal.

Israeli Pita Bread

Ingredients Makes 16 pitas

2½ cups water 3 teaspoons active dry yeast 4 tablespoons sugar ½ cup whole-wheat flour 6½ cups bread flour 5 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon salt

Directions Put water, yeast and sugar in a mixer bowl and let them stand for 15 minutes.

Add flour, oil and salt and put, with a kneading hook, on medium speed for 8 minutes. If, after 4 minutes, you see that the dough is dry, you can add another 1/4 cup of water and continue to knead until the water tastes in the dough.

Cover and let rise for about an hour until the dough doubles in volume (and please be patient so that the dough rests and becomes soft).

Preheat oven to its maximum temperature (usually 500 degrees). Be careful not to put the pitas in until the oven reaches this temperature.

Divide the dough into 16-18 pieces (depending on the size of the pitas you like) and form a beautiful round ball from each piece of dough. Let the balls rest on the counter, covered, for 10 minutes.

Flatten each ball of dough into a thin, uniform pita, using a rolling pin. About ¼-inch thick (if you like thicker pita, roll a ½ inch).

Place baking paper on an oven pan and flour it slightly — this is important so that the dough does not stick to the pan, making it difficult for it to puff up in the oven.

Place 4 pitas on the pan with baking paper and cover with a towel for 10 minutes.

Bake in the preheated oven at 500 degrees for 3 minutes on each side or until the pitas are golden and puffy.

Repeat the operation with the rest of the dough.

Important — the oven must be really, really hot before the pitas go in, otherwise, you will not create a pocket.

When the pitas come out of the oven, put them in a towel or bag, so that they retain their moisture and flexibility.

Beteavon and enjoy!