Kypriakes Pittes - Cypriot Pittes
INGREDIENTS
500g bread or wholemeal flour, plus extra for dusting
7g yeast
1 pinch sugar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
70ml tepid milk
250ml tepid water
METHOD
In a small bowl or jug, add the yeast and sugar to the lukewarm milk and olive oil. Mix and set aside while it activates. In a large bowl, sift the flour, add the salt and give it a little mix. Once your yeast has activated, pour it in with the flour and bring it together with a fork. Pour in half of the water and combine. Pour in the rest as it starts to come away from the sides of the bowl and your dough starts to form. Depending on your flour and the weather, you may need less or more water, so make sure you add it in parts until you've formed a rough dough that is slightly tacky, not dry.
Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead well until you’ve formed a soft, elasticated dough. Shape into a smooth ball, rub with a drop of olive oil, and leave it in the same bowl you used. Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel and let it proof somewhere warm for 1 hour.
Once your dough has doubled, punch the air out, flip it onto your benchtop and cut it into 8 pieces, about 100g each and shape into small balls by folding the dough underneath itself. Place the dough balls on a lightly floured surface, cover them with a damp towel or plastic wrap and leave them to prove for 30 minutes.
Once 30 minutes have passed, add two trays into your oven; one at the top and another in the middle. Preheat to 250C fan forced, or as high as your oven goes.
On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough thinly into ovals and place on a lightly floured surface. Remove the hot baking tray from the middle shelf and place 2 pittes onto the tray. Immediately close the oven door and bake 2 for 5-6 minutes until they puff up and are slightly golden around the edges. Remove them from the oven and place them between a clean tea towel. Repeat with remaining pittes.