THIS WEEKEND /

make pita bread

FRESH PITA BREAD is a wondrous thing but it is best used on the day it is made (although leftovers are good toasted or it’s simple to turn them into crisps). I add a little wholemeal flour to the mix, but you could just use plain flour if you prefer.

MAKES 12 LARGE PITA / PREPARATION 3 HOURS INCLUDING PROOFING / COOKING 10 MINUTES

150g wholemeal flour 350g plain flour

4g (1 teaspoon, half a packet)

instant yeast

1 teaspoon sea salt 50ml olive oil 300ml lukewarm water Combine the flours, instant yeast and sea salt. Add the olive oil and water and knead by hand until the dough comes together. Leave for 15 minutes, knead briefly again and then put into an oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to double in size, around 2 hours. Divide the dough into 12 (approximately 70g of dough for each 18cm diameter pita). Leave for 10 minutes. Roll out thinly, ideally to around 2mm thick. Leave for another 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 230°C with a baking stone if you have one (or use an oven tray). Bake the pita in batches until puffy, around 2-3 minutes. Remove and wrap in a clean tea towel. If not using straight away you can reheat by frying in dry saucepan on each side until puffy.

CREDITS Plate (fish) by Jaime Jenkins from Muck; side dish (walnut tarator) and salt & pepper dish by Kirsten Dryburgh; plate (feta), side bowl (cucumber salad) and small dish (pesto) by Reneé Boyd; bowl (Mexican salad) and side plates (pitas) by Ace Firers; all cutlery by Maarten Baas from Tessuti. All other props stylist’s own. For full details, see Credits Index.