This homemade pita bread is soft, fluffy, and full of authentic flavor! Yes, you can buy pita bread at the store, but a freshly baked pita tastes so much better and will make your home smell absolutely delicious. Everyone will want to know what you are making!
Add the water, yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a mixer and whisk until the yeast and sugar are dissolved. Stir in ¼ cup wheat flour and ¼ cup of all-purpose flour. Once combined, cover and set in a warm spot for 15 minutes or so. The mixture should become nice and bubbly, which is your sponge.
Stir in the remaining whole wheat flour, one ¼ cup of all-purpose flour (leaving ½ cup for dusting),salt, and olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Dust lightly with flour and use the dough hook to knead in the bowl for 1-2 minutes on low speed.
Dust a clean surface with a little flour and transfer the dough. Knead by hand for a few minutes until it becomes smooth. It should still be a little tacky, so be careful not to knead too much flour into it. Place in an oiled bowl and turn the dough to ensure it’s covered with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide it into eight equal portions and form them into balls. Cover and let the dough balls rest for 10-15 minutes.
Use a rolling pin to roll the balls out on a lightly floured surface until they are about 8-inches in diameter and roughly ¼ inch thick, and set aside until ready to cook.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a teaspoon or two of olive oil and use a clean kitchen towel or a paper towel to wipe the oil around the inside of the pan and soak up any excess oil. Place one rolled pita dough into the pan and cover with a lid for 30 seconds. Flip the pita over, cover, and cook for an additional 1.5-2 minutes. Fli, cover, and cook once more for about 1 minute.
Remove the cooked pita to a clean kitchen towel and cover while you cook the remaining pitas.