Perfectly Puffed Pita: 5 Tips

Pita bread is a flatbread of Middle Eastern origin. This bread is simple to prepare and full of healthy grains. At times, however, achieving the signature hollow core or “puff” can prove tricky.

Puff Secret: Steam and Heat

The key to a perfectly puffed pita loaf is the combination of steam and heat. The steam will become trapped inside the pita and, toward the end of baking, begin to inflate as a result of the heat. If the dough is too dry or the oven is not hot enough, the pita will not puff.

Use Wet Dough

Be sure that the pita dough is wet enough to generate the steam that will inflate the loaf when placed in a hot oven.

Roll a Thin Pita

When rolling out the wet dough, be sure that the resulting pita is very thin. This will make the bread more conducive to puffing.

Do Not Slash

Experienced bread bakers know that a standard loaf of western bread, such as an artisan baguette, is slashed across the top with a serrated knife just before entering the oven. Pita should not be slashed because then there would nothing to trap steam in within the loaf.

Use a Very Hot Oven

Be sure that the oven is hot enough. A standard temperature for baking pita bread is 500 degrees Fahrenheit. An oven lacking the proper heat will not allow the steam grow and hollow the pita.

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