Baked Products

Pita Bread

Periods: Three
Period 1: Planning and starter preparation
Period 2: Product processing
Period 3: Product evaluation

Objective:

To familiarize the students with the manufacturing process of pita bread and factors affecting the characteristics of the product.

Background:

Pita bread is one of a number of flat breads of Middle East Origin. For the history, nutritional value and a variety of recipes, see http://www.kswheat.com/domestic/nutrition/got-pdfs/got-pitabread.pdf; http://www.garvick.com/recipesmm/pita-bread.htm

The characteristics of Pita bread are influenced by a number of different factors, which include: leavening agents, proofing time, mixing (kneading) time, dough thickness, addition of ingredients to promote browning , type of oven , amount and type of fat, type of flour.

Procedures:

Ingredients:

A simple formulation is given as a possible starting point.

Equipment:

Flow Chart: see class web page

Processing:

  1. Add water to bowl and sprinkle yeast on water. Mix to disperse yeast.
  2. Add 6 cups of flour and mix for 1 minute. Let stand in bowl until bubbles begin to appear.
  3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt on the dough and mix. This is the time to add functional ingredients to the dough (browning promoters, fat, emulsifiers, dough improvers, etc.).
  4. Add remaining flour. If you are mixing by hand, add the flour in 2 cup increments. If using the dough hook and the Hobart mixer, add all of the flour and mix for 1 minute.
  5. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or five minutes with a dough hook(this time can be increased as a variable).
  6. Proof the dough (This can be done conveniently in a plastic bag.).
  7. Divide the dough into two and sprinkle with flour if sticky. Roll into a log and cut into ~100g pieces (Hint: Make a ball the size of a small fist. Weigh it and make all of the rest to ~ the same weight. Let rest for 5 minutes.
  8. Run through the sheeter to produce disks (Thickness can be a variable - 3mm is a minimum).
  9. Rotate the disk 90 degrees after the first set of rollers so that the dough will be stretched in two directions.
  10. Put two disks together and run through the sheeter in both directions again.
  11. Place the disks on the floor of hot (525° F) oven. Use the pizza paddle and BE CAREFUL!
  12. Cook until fully inflated and light brown (~5min). Note cooking time may vary with thickness of dough.

As an alternative, bake in the convection oven to simulate a commercial impingement oven.

 

Quality Attributes:

1. Volume

2. Formation of pocket

3. Thickness of upper and lower layers

4. Color

5. Texture

References: