How long does it take to make Homemade Pita?

Bake in the oven at full heat on an upside-down baking sheet preheated in advance, just 3–5 minutes.

2 hrTotal

41 minActive time

1 hr 19 minSetting

#	What to do	How long
1	Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl	1 min
2	Add the lukewarm water and olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes	10 min
3	Cover and Let rise about an hour in a warm place	1 hr
4	Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F), with an upside-down baking sheet inside, for at least half an hour	30 min
5	Divide the dough into 10 balls and roll each ball into a circle about ½ cm thick	—
6	Cover the rounds with a towel and let rest 15 minutes	15 min
7	Bake on the hot baking sheet, 3–4 pitas at a time, 3–5 minutes	4 min
8	Wrap immediately in a towel, so the pitas stay soft	—

Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot. The dough is ready when it has doubled, and a gentle finger press leaves a dent that fills back slowly; if it springs right back, wait longer.
Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
Dough that springs back needs rest: cover the balls for 10 minutes and the gluten relaxes.
Full heat and a scorching-hot baking sheet are what make the pocket: in an oven that isn't hot enough, the pita bakes flat.

For yeast dough, use the windowpane test: a small piece stretches into a thin, translucent sheet without tearing, and that's the sign the kneading is done. Add flour only by the tablespoon, and only if the dough is still sticky after a few minutes: too much flour makes a tough dough.
Don't roll too thin: in a round half a centimeter thick or more, the steam in the dough puffs it into a pocket; a round that's too thin dries into a cracker.
Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.