Soft, fluffy Greek pita-style flatbreads (the pocketless kind).
I love loading these up to make homemade Gyros or to serve with souvlaki kebabs.
They stay soft and pliable, even when cold, so you can roll or fold them without the risk of them breaking.
Yes these flatbreads need proving and kneading (use my yogurt flatbread recipe for super-quick flatbreads), but the extra time spent it so worth it. Why?
- You’ll get super fluffy, tender flatbreads with that perfect chewiness – thanks to the yeast and proving.
- They have bags of flavour – again the proving time helps the flavour to develop. The flavour is further enhanced because of the cooking method.
- They taste great hot OR cold.
- They don’t break when you fold them.
🔪 How to make them
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Similar to most yeasted bread recipes, we mix together yeast, water, bread flour, sugar and salt. We’re also adding some olive oil to the mixture for extra flavour and tenderness.
- Once they’re mixed, we knead the dough for about 10 minutes, then leave to prove until doubled in size.
- Then we split the dough into 12 pieces, roll each into a ball, and roll out in a flat disk.
- Each flatbread is cooked in a hot, lightly oiled frying pan, until fluffy and golden.
👩🍳PRO TIP These breads are cooked one at a time, but you can keep them warm by stacking them on warm plate under a clean tea towel, or placing on a tray (cover it with foil) and place on a very low oven.
🍽️ What to these Greek Pitas with
Just look at how deliciously fluffy they are inside!
🍲 More fantastic Bread recipes
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Homemade Flatbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 g (2 tsp) instant dry yeast
- 480 ml (2 cups) warm water
- 4 tbsp olive oil plus extra for brushing (approx 2-3 tbsp)
- 780 g (6 ½) cups strong bread flour plus extra for rolling (approx 60g or 1/2 cup)
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- 1 ½ tsp table salt
Instructions
- Place the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl) and add the warm water. Stir together and leave for 5 minutes, until foam appears on top of the water.7 g (2 tsp) instant dry yeast, 480 ml (2 cups) warm water
- Add the olive oil, flour, sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture.4 tbsp olive oil, 780 g (6 ½) cups strong bread flour, 1 ½ tsp sugar, 1 ½ tsp table salt
- Mix the dough together using either using a stand mixer with a dough hook (recommended) or your hands, until combined.
- Once combined, knead the dough for 10 minutes using the stand mixer with a dough hook or by hand. The mixture will be quite sticky, so if you’re kneading by hand, it’s a good idea to coat your hands and work surface in a little olive oil to stop it sticking.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth or clingfilm and allow to prove for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Shape into balls and place on a tray or board with a damp cloth over the top to rest for a few minutes, while you prepare to start cooking them.
- Lightly flour the work surface.
- Brush or spray a medium-sized frying pan (cast iron gives you the best results) with a little oil (just 1/4 tsp or so) and place over a medium-high heat to heat up.
- Take one of the dough balls, and roll it into a circle, about 19cm (7.5 inches) in diameter and ½ cm (just under ¼ inch) thick.
- Toss the pita back and forth a couple of times in your hands to remove excess flour, then place the pita in the pan.
- Brush the top of the pita in the pan lightly with oil and cook for about 60-90 seconds, until bubbles start to appear. Then turn over a cook for a further minute.
- Place on a plate and repeat, brushing the pan with oil after every 3 or 4 pitas.
- Stack the pitas up on a plate (stacking them helps to keep them soft), laying a tea towel over them to keep warm until you’re ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Do you have to use 1 and 1/2 tbsp of salt?
Made this to have with a 12 hour baked lamb shoulder and it all went. People were full after one but everyone had a second and went into a food coma it was that good.
I made these tonight to serve with some beef souvlaki. Cooked them on a large cast iron pizza pan which I brushed with olive oil. After the first 2 they came out excellent. I think I didn’t have the heat high enough at first but then they cooked perfectly. So soft and delicious. I wish I could attach a picture but I’m not sure how to do that.
Wow, I used this recipe for slow cooked lamb shoulder gyros, the dough is so easy to use ( I will try it for homemade pizza) . The flat breads warmed up easily and didn’t dry out.
Hands down these turned out the be the BEST flatbreads I have ever made! Started cooking them on a cast iron pan but once hubby had finished with the BBQ we switched to that, and they came out so amazing! Just like the ones you would buy from your favourite Lebanese cafe. Soft, flexible and chewy – SO GOOD! Recipe made 12 dinner plate sized breads. Hubby was extremely impressed and he is a tough critic! Will definitely make again and again! Thank you for your amazing recipe!!
Fabulous recipe, thanks. Made the best gyros. Could I ask why you activate the yeast first rather than mixing everything together? See it in lots of flatbread recipes but never sure why.
Made these last night and couldn’t believe how well they turned out!
Can’t wait to try all your recipes! We love food!
Nicky
They look delicious, do you think these would work using a sourdough starter as a proving agent in place of the yeast? If so what ratio would you recommend?
Fantastic, thank you, I will be trying this very soon.