Pita Bread Pizza

Pita bread means, A small round bread that can open into a pocket for filling. In Arab world Pita bread is quite popularly known as Khubz (خبز)  (Quite similar to  Chapathi. But, chapathi cooked on a griddle and Khubz baked at Oven)

The famous Middle East  sandwich Shawarma (شاورما) is made out of Pita Bread or Khubz (خبز.)  (Meat, mayonnaise, finger chips and lettuces filled and rolled in a Pita bread is shawarma)

Though the pita bread is known for filling, I want to try an Arab – Italian fusion “Pita Bread Pizza’’  i.e  Pizza Toppings on Pita Bread !

Pita Bread Pizza was baked for we knead to bake 21 : Make your Pizza challenge

 

As usual, the making process is split in two parts, one is making the Pita bread (as a base) and the second part is topping. The Pita bread recipe source is from http://www.thefreshloaf.com

Ingredients for  Pita bread :  2 cups of All purpose flour   ;     1 cup of wheat flour    ;   1 ½  tsp  Salt  ; 1 tsp  Honey   ;    2 tbsp of Instant yeast    ;    1 ¼ to 1 ½ cup of Water @ room temp.   ;    2 tbsp Olive oil.

 

Ingredients for  Topping  :  1/8 cup of Pizza sauce    ;   Bell pepper (green, yellow & red colour)   ;   1 Onion -1  (cut onion and bell pepper into thin dice shape)    ;       ½  tsp of Chili flakes   ;  ½ tsp of  Oregano    ;    ¼ cup of  low fat mozzarella cheese  ;   Olive oil for topping.

Procedure for Pita bread :  Mix all the ingredient (flour, salt, honey, olive oil) and add 1 ¼ cup of water stir/whisk well till all ingredients combine well and to form a ball. (if required, add extra water) and knead the dough about 10 minutes.

Kneading is important, to make a dough stretch and elastic so that the bread rise well in the oven. (very often, people ask me, how to make a chapatti puffy ?…….. “It’s quite easy all you need to do is, Knead the dough well”)

After knead, palace dough in a greased bowl, cover with damp cloth and allow it to rest about an hour or till become double in volume. Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal balls and place it in the same bowl and cover with damp cloth for about 20 – 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, Pre heat the oven with baking stone to 200ºC. Using the rolling pin, roll the ball shaped dough into thin circular shape. (like chapatti)

Place the pita (one by one) on the hot baking stone and bake about 3 minutes or puffy. (if you need a little dark texture pita, keep it in the oven for another 2 minutes . this is only require if you need to use the pita for filling / shawarma. For Pizza, we are going to bake again with topping)

Spread the sauce on the pita bread and arrange the peppers, onion, spread the cheese sprinkle chilly flakes, oregano and olive oil.

Keep in the 180ºC pre heated oven for about 35 minutes or till the cheese melts and bubbles. Serve it hot with tomato sauce. 

Whole Meal Flour Pizza with Grilled Chicken

 

I try my best to avoid disappointing my Veggie readers by not posting any meat recipes.  (But, egg is an exemption. Because,  Eggs are one of the basic ingredients in Baking, can’t avoid. However, I have given egg alternatives in the Tips & Tricks page)

But today, I am posting first meat recipe. I can see the smile, in my non-veg reader’s face. 

It’s a revised (non veg) version of my earlier Pizza recipe. The veggies can still read this and Substitute Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) for Chicken.  (Both Paneer and Chicken are Rich in Protein) 

Usually, Pizza is made with 100% All purpose flour. Here, we are going for a healthier version.

Ingredients for Pizza base : 2 1/2cup of Whole meal flour   ;    1/2 cup of All-purpose flour  ;   1 ½ cups of  Water    ;    ½ tsp  Sugar  ;       1 ½ tsp  Salt   ;     1 ½ tsp Yeast  ;  1  Egg     ;       1 tbsp  Olive oil    ;  1/4 cup  Pizza sauce.

Ingredients are required for Topping : Onion, sliced 1 medium  ;   half grilled chicken (grilled paneer for Veggies)   ;   Tomatoes cut into thick strips 1medium    ;    Green capsicum cut into thick strips 1 medium    ;   ¾ cup of   Low fat Mozzarella cheese, grated   ;    1 tsp Olive oil    ;    ¼ tsp of  Dry oregano    ;  1tsp  Chili flakes.  

Ingredients are required for Grill chicken :  Chicken Breast   ;   Tandoor masala  ;  2 tsp of Oil   ;   2 tsp of  Curd (Yogurt)    ;      Salt to taste

Grill Chicken Procedure :  Mix Tandoor masala, oil, yogurt, salt well and Marinate the chicken breast for about an hour. (if require sprinkle little water)

Grill the Chicken in Oven till it done. Allow it to cool and chop in to chunks. 

Making procedure of Pizza Base : Mix yeast and sugar with Luke warm water and set aside until it become frothy.  Thanks to the process fermentation 

Add salt, olive oil, egg, meal flour and all-purpose flour to the yeast mixture and kneads into soft dough. 

Leave the dough covered with a damp cloth in a warm place until dough is about double in volume.  It may take about forty five minutes, depends on the atmosphere temperature. Our friends yeast and bacteria, acts much faster in tropical conditions (around 100°F or 38°C).

Divide the (pizza) dough into two equal half, roll out each portion into medium thick discs. Prick with a fork all over. (If you don’t prick, Pizza base raises like a bun while you bake. Resulting, the toppings to fall)

Preheat oven to 220°C... …….Meanwhile, let’s prepare the topping. 

Spread prepared pizza sauce on rolled pizza base, top it with sliced Onion, grilled Chicken chunks, Tomato, Sliced Olives and Capsicum strips. Finally sprinkle grated low-fat mozzarella cheese to evenly cover the pizza top. 

Sprinkle chili flakes on top with olive oil. Place it on greased ovenproof tray and bake in the preheated oven at 220°C until the pizza base is crisp and the cheese melts and starts bubbling.  (May take about twenty minutes) Remove from oven, sprinkle with dried Oregano and serve hot with preferred sauce.