It seems like no matter where you go, you will find some form of flat bread. There are pancakes in the United States, tortillas in Mexico, crepes in France and pita bread in the Middle East. In Turkey it is called pide, but in other Middle Eastern nations, it is known as pita. No matter what you call it, pide bread can serve as a side to any dish. Serve this to accompany your next Middle Eastern meal for a real Turkish delight. When you are making this bread, avoid the urge to use a rolling pin. Instead, flatten the bread with your fingers for light and fluffy loaves. This will make four large loaves, but you can easily double the amounts for a larger yield.
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, mix the yeast, sugar and ½ cup warm water. Let this mixture sit for 10 minutes. It should begin to bubble and foam. This means that your yeast is alive. As it eats the sugar, it releases carbon dioxide, which will help your bread to rise.
2. Add to this yeast mixture ¼ cup all purpose flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave this in the refrigerator overnight. This will be your starter. If you do not have time to leave this to develop flavor overnight, you can use it after it has been at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Using a clean, large mixing bowl, add the 1 3/4 cups of bread flour to the bottom. Using the back of a spoon, make a small hollow in the center of the mound of bread.
4. Into this hollow, add the salt, olive oil, remaining ½ cup warm water and yeast starter.
5. Slowly stir the wet ingredients in the hollow into the bread flour by incorporating the sides of the hollow into the wet ingredients until all of the flour is mixed in and a soft dough ball forms.
6. Place the dough ball onto a floured surface.
7. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly and dust them with flour.
8. Use your floured hands to knead the dough ball for about 10 minutes. It will be very sticky initially, but as flour from your hands and the work surface is incorporated into the ball and the water inside the dough absorbs the flour, it will get less sticky.
9. Spread olive oil on the inside of a clean mixing bowl, and put the kneaded dough ball into this bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot to rise for 90 minutes. See "Tips," below, for further advice. You can also refrigerate the dough overnight, and it will have risen by the morning.
10. On top of a floured surface, form the dough ball into a log and divide it into four equal pieces. Cover with a damp towel and let these rest and rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
12. Press each piece of dough into a circle about ¼ inch to 1/8 inch in thickness and about 8 inches across.
13. Place a single piece onto a pizza pan or baking sheet. Cover the top with a light coating of olive oil and place into the oven.
14. Bake the bread for six minutes or until golden brown on the outside.
15. Remove from the oven and cover until ready to serve. Repeat steps 13 and 14 with the remaining unbaked bread dough.
Tags: dough ball, Cover with, ball into, bread flour, Cover with damp
