Greek Pita Bread

Combine flour, instant yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add warm water and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains, then use your hand to bring it into a rough ball. The dough should be moderately soft and slightly sticky — noticeably softer than pizza dough but not as wet as focaccia. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

Knead for 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface using a push-fold-rotate motion. The dough will transform: from sticky and rough to smooth, elastic, and barely tacky. After 8 minutes it should pass the basic stretch test — pull a small piece and stretch it a few inches without it tearing immediately. Shape into a ball, lightly oil the surface, and place in a clean bowl.

Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature (22–25 C) for 60–75 minutes until doubled. While the dough rises, place a heavy baking stone or inverted cast-iron pan on the top rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature — 260 C (500 F) or higher — at least 30 minutes before baking. A screaming-hot surface is essential for pita to puff.

Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions (about 70 g each). On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a smooth ball. Cover and rest 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes. Then roll each ball with a rolling pin into a round 18–20 cm across and about 4–5 mm thick. Do not roll too thin — a pita that is too thin won't form a proper pocket. Place on a sheet of parchment and rest 15 minutes before baking.

Working in batches of 2–3 (however many fit on your baking stone), use a peel or the back of a flat baking sheet to slide pita rounds directly onto the screaming-hot stone. Bake for 3–4 minutes — no more. You will see the pita begin to puff dramatically about 60–90 seconds in, inflating into a dome. Once fully puffed and barely pale gold on top, remove. Do not over-bake — the goal is a soft, pliable pita, not a crisp one. Wrap immediately in a clean towel to keep soft.