afoona
Homemade Taboon Pita
Breads & Pastries

Homemade Taboon Pita

Thick, fragrant taboon pita — a classic Israeli pocket bread, perfect for sabich, shawarma and falafel

⏱ 1 hr 40 min🍽 8 servings 🌍 Israeli👩‍🍳 Afoona

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Dough base

  1. 1
    Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
    Bowl
  2. 2
    Add the lukewarm water and olive oil and Knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, pliable and doesn't stick to your hands.
    ⚙ KneadingBowlStand mixer
    💡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.
  3. 3
    Cover and Let rise about an hour in a warm place, until the dough doubles in size.
    ⚙ ProofingPlastic wraporKitchen towel
    💡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.
  4. 4
    Preheat the oven to 250°C (480°F), with an upside-down baking sheet inside, for at least half an hour.
    ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven
    💡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.
  5. 5
    Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll each ball into a circle about 1 cm thick.
    ⚙ Dividing into Balls and RollingRolling pin
    💡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.
    💡Dough that springs back needs rest: cover the balls for 10 minutes and the gluten relaxes.
  6. 6
    Cover the rounds with a towel and let rest 15 minutes.
    Kitchen towel
  7. 7
    Bake on the hot baking sheet, 3–4 pitas at a time, 6–8 minutes, until the pitas puff into a pocket and take on a little color.
    ⚙ BakingOvenBaking sheet
    💡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.
    💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
  8. 8
    Wrap immediately in a towel, so the pitas stay soft.
    Kitchen towel
263calories
7 gprotein
47 gcarbs
4 gfat
● protein 11%● carbs 74%● fat 15%

Per serving (113 g), of 8 servings

For the Dough base ·

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (5) · 🍳 One cooking vessel

  • Oven · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Toaster oven (Fits one small pan; good for small batches) · Air fryer (Small batches only, no runny batters) · Pot (Only for covered stews on the stovetop, no browning on top)
  • Baking sheet · Also works: Baking pan (None) · Disposable pan (None)
  • Rolling pin · Also works: Glass (for drinking/serving) (Bottle/glass, less even rolling) · Pasta machine (For pasta dough)
  • Bowl · Also works: Pot (None)
  • Kitchen towel · Also works: Plastic wrap (Plastic wrap over the bowl) · Paper towels (None)

Helps, not needed: Stand mixer

By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.

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