Stuffed Pitta Bread

Stuffed Pitta Bread

I made these pitta breads as a quick alternative to sandwiches for the school lunch boxes.  They freeze really well and are great for days when I am in a rush in the mornings.

First I made the dough in the same way as my normal pitta breads.

I mixed together 500g strong white flour with 5g salt, 7g fast action yeast, 2 tbsp olive oil and 200-250ml water to form a rough dough then kneaded for 5-10 minutes until smooth, soft and silky.  The dough was then left it to prove until doubled in size.

Whilst the dough was proving I made the filling.  In this case I made a mixture of 200g grated cheddar, 8 cherry tomatoes chopped up small, some ham diced, a squirt of tomato puree and a couple of teaspoons of red pesto with a grind of pepper and a pinch of salt.  However, saying that you can put in whatever you like; tuna, cheese and sweetcorn, chicken, tomato and pesto, spinach and feta…. The world is your oyster!

When the dough had doubled in size I knocked it back then divided it into 12 pieces.

Each piece was rolled into a rough oval then a portion of the filling placed on half of it – try to keep the filling away from the edges or it will leak out when baked.

Fold it over.

Then roll again or press the two sides together.

Place the stuffed pittas onto a lined baking sheet then bake at 230C for about 10 minutes or until golden and puffy.  Try not to let them get too dark or they end up a bit dry.