Flat bread is fabulous when it comes to relaxed summer entertaining. You could serve sandwiches and salads on the patio, but why not enclose all that goodness in pita bread? The little pockets make serving and eating food so easy.
If you want to save time, you can buy pita breads.
Bought pitas can be a bit tricky to open. You need to heat them so that they puff up a little before cutting into them. Some people wrap pitas in a moistened kitchen cloth and microwave for 30 seconds, others put them in the oven briefly and yet others use their large toasters.
Alternatively, you can make your own. It is easy and it works out so much cheaper than store-bought pitas.
The taste is superior - once you have tasted a home-made pita, you will never want a bought one again. They also freeze well and you can just pop them in a toaster or a warm oven to refresh them.
To make wholewheat pitas, use half wholewheat and half cake flour in the recipe.
Pita bread can be filled with a variety of fillings and makes the perfect picnic food or lunch box fillers.
It’s also a great way to serve leftovers.
HOME-MADE PITA BREAD
Makes 14-16
750ml flour
10g instant dry yeast
10ml salt
15ml sugar
200-300ml warm water
Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add enough warm water to make a soft, but not sticky dough. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth. Cover with an oiled bag and allow to rise for about 30 minutes.
Knock down and divide into 14-16 balls, depending on the size of pita. On a floured surface, roll out into circles.
Place three at a time on to a heated oven tray and bake in a preheated oven at 220°C until pita has puffed up, about 3-4 minutes. Turn pita over and bake for another minute.
Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Keep covered with a tea towel.
TABOULI AND HUMMUS PITA
Makes 4-6
125ml bulgur wheat
250ml boiling water
2 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 red onion, finely diced
80ml chopped parsley
45ml chopped mint
2 discs of feta, cut into small cubes
6 wholewheat pitas
Dressing
30ml lemon juice
60ml olive oil
5ml chopped garlic
salt and pepper
Hummus
2x400g tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
10ml chopped garlic
60ml tahini paste
30-40ml lemon juice
80-100ml olive oil
salt and pepper
Put bulgur wheat in a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir, cover with cling wrap and allow to stand for at least an hour.
The bulgur should soak up all the water. Drain in a sieve for 10 minutes to remove any excess water.
Combine with the tomatoes, onion, herbs and feta. Stir in the dressing. Spread the inside of the pita with a generous amount of hummus and fill it up with the salad.
DRESSING: Combine all of the ingredients.
HUMMUS: Put the chickpeas and garlic into a food processor and process until roughly chopped. Add the tahini paste and lemon juice and process.
With the machine running, add enough olive oil to make a smooth mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
CURRIED CHICKEN PITA
Makes 4-6
100ml plain yoghurt
60ml mayonnaise
10ml curry powder
500ml cooked, cubed chicken
1 ripe, firm pear, diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
125ml dried cranberries
60ml slivered almonds, toasted
salt and pepper
salad leaves, for serving
6 pita breads
Combine yoghurt, mayonnaise and curry powder in a large bowl and mix well.
Add the chicken, pear, celery, cranberries and slivered almonds and toss to combine.
Season to taste.
Warm the pitas in a preheated oven at 200°C for a few minutes.
Cut open and fill each pita with a few salad leaves and curried chicken. Serve immediately.
STEAK SALAD PITA
Makes 4-6
60ml lime juice
80ml olive oil
15ml Dijon mustard
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
60ml chopped chives
30ml honey
salt and pepper
500g rump or sirloin steak
1 medium cucumber, diced
1 large tomato, diced
butter lettuce, for serving
6 large pita, split open
Whisk lime juice, oil, mustard, chilli, chives and honey together. Season.
Place steak in a shallow dish and pour half the dressing over it. Allow to marinate at room temperature, turning once, for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the salad by combining the cucumber and tomato with the remaining dressing. Toss to coat.
Remove steak from the marinade.
Heat a heavy-based griddle pan over a medium-high heat and fry the steak for 4 minutes a side or until desired doneness.
Transfer and rest on a cutting board.
Slice thinly against the grain.
Fill the pita bread with a few young lettuce leaves.
Mix the meat with the tomato and cucumber and fill each pita.
TUNA, BEAN AND ROCKET PITA
Makes 4-6
170g tin of tuna chunks, in brine, drained and flaked
400g tin of cannellini beans
30ml lemon juice
45ml olive oil
1 pinch of dried chilli flakes
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1 red onion, finely diced
250ml rocket leaves
6 pita
In a bowl, combine the tuna, beans, lemon juice, olive oil, chilli, salt, pepper, tomatoes and onion and mix well.
Add the rocket and gently mix. Cut a quarter off each pita to open the pocket.
Fill with the tuna and bean salad and serve.
FALAFEL AND TAHINI PITA
Makes 4-6
Falafel
15ml olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
10ml ground coriander
10ml ground cumin
2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
125ml chopped fresh coriander
salt and pepper
80ml flour
olive oil, for frying
6 pita, for serving
Salad
1 tomato, deseeded and diced
1 small cucumber, finely chopped
15ml lemon juice
30ml olive oil
salt and pepper
Tahini sauce
60ml plain yoghurt
30ml tahini
15ml honey
FALAFEL: Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Add the coriander and cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Set aside to cool slightly.
Place the onion, chickpeas, coriander, salt and pepper in a food processor and process until well combined and the mixture just comes together.
Transfer to a bowl.
Add flour and mix until combined.
Divide mixture into 20 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 1cm-thick patty. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Heat oil in a frying pan and fry patties until golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels.
Fill each pita with a few falafel, some tomato and cucumber salad and drizzle over the tahini sauce.
SALAD: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until needed. - The Star