Shrimp and Yuca Gratin Appetizer

Yuca also known as cassava is called tapioca in India though Tapioca ususally refers to the starch of cassava. I did this as part of my Brazilian Food Week in November 2016 but found time to post the recipe only now. I found this authentic recipe by a Brazilian Cynthia Presser at http://www.cynthiapresser.com/recipe-blog/appetizers-a-starters/109-shrimp-and-yuca-gratin-appetizer-escondidinho-de-camarao. This is apparently bar food in Brazil but it served as main course dinner for me. Turned out to be delicious and I loved it!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 650 g yuca root, cut into small chunks
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped or ½ tsp dried
• 12 oz large shrimp, cleaned and deveined, cut crosswise into 4 parts
• 2 tablespoons brandy or cognac (I used red wine)
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 4 tablespoons catupiry or mascarpone cheese (I used cheddar cheese)
• 2 tablespoons fresh scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Shrimp and Yuca Gratin Appetizer - baked in individual dish

 

Preparation

• Place the yuca in a steamer and add enough water to the bottom. I steam it in the Pressure cooker for about 15 minutes or until cooked.
• Remove from heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the milk and butter and smash with the help of a potato masher until all ingredients are incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and set aside.
• In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook stirring for 3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
• Add the rosemary and shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes or until the shrimp starts to curl. Stir in the red wine and season with salt and pepper. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.
• To the same skillet, add the tomatoes and cook stirring occasionally until they are soft, about 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and return the shrimp to the skillet. Fold in the cream cheese, scallions, and parsley.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Place the shrimp sauce on the bottom of 4 medium individual glass or any ovenproof dishes. Top them with the mashed yuca and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake the individual dishes for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Carefully remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Note

The original recipe calls for broiling the individual dishes for 3 to 4 minutes or until the top is golden brown. But as I have only a conventional microwave oven, I used the baking option instead and it turned just fine and yummy!

Brazilian Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

This recipe was part of my Brazilian Food Week in November 2016. Turned out to be very yummy after all the elaborate process involved! Found this at Olivia's Cuisine. 

Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients

For the tortillas:

• 1 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cups flour
• 1/2 cube beef bouillon

For the filling:

• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small tomato, cubed
• 1/8 cup milk
• 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup sliced green olives, chopped
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cube beef bouillon
• Pinch of sugar if needed (I did not use it)
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the assembling:

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• Parmesan cheese to taste
• Chopped parsley to decorate

Preparation

To make the filling:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic and onion until translucent.
• Add the ground beef and cook until the meat has browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add the tomato, the olives and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.
• In a cup, mix the flour and the milk and add it to the skillet along with the chopped parsley.
• Let this mixture cook for 5 more minutes. Reserve.

To make the sauce:

• In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and the beef bouillon and cook over medium/low heat for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and reserve. (Use sugar here if needed)

To make the tortillas:

• Put the milk, flour, beef bouillon and eggs in the blender and blend everything together until you have a very smooth batter, similar to pancake batter.
• In a medium skillet (sprayed with non stick spray), preheated over medium high heat, add a ladle of the batter and tilt the skillet so the batter coats the whole surface. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes and turn to cook the other side. Reserve the cooked tortillas. The batter makes 3 or 4 tortillas.

To assemble the enchiladas:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cover each tortilla with cheese and then add the filling to 1/4 of the disc. Roll the tortilla, forming an enchilada, and place it, seam side down, in a baking dish. Continue until you've used all the tortillas or filling.
• Pour the sauce over the enchiladas and grate the desired amount of Parmesan on top.
• Bring it to the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Garlic and Cilantro Soup with Poached Egg and Croutons

This Garlic and Cilantro Soup with Poached Eggs and Croutons is a diabetes-friendly version of a classic Portuguese-influenced Brazilian soup created by Brazilian chef Leticia Moreinos Schwartz as part of the American Diabetes Challenge. I found this at The Latin Kitchen, which had recreated this diabetes friendly version. Makes an excellent and filling dinner or even lunch! Recipe taken from My Rio de Janeiro: A Cookbook. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 4 eggs
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 to 3 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves (can be substituted with Parsley)

 

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350˚F. Place the bread cubes in a bowl and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top. Season with pepper and toss. Toast in the oven until it just begins to get crunchy, about 15 minutes, mixing once during baking time. Remove from oven and reserve.
• Prepare a bowl of iced water. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Add the vinegar and mix well. Break each egg into a cup, and gently pour the egg from the bowl into the simmering water, coming as close as you can to the water. Poach the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks remain runny, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove each egg from the simmering water and transfer to the iced water bath for just a few minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Cover loosely with foil.
• In a pot, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the garlic; cook over low heat until it just starts to get golden and develops a fragrance, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and stir slowly with a wooden spoon. Season with pepper. Add the cilantro leaves just when ready to serve.
• Distribute the cubed bread and egg among each soup bowl, ladle the soup on top and serve.

Canja (Brazilian Chicken and Rice Soup)

Found these authentic Brazilian recipes by Cynthia Presser by luck! This soup was the main course for my lunch during my Brazilian Food Week in November 2016! Pretty filling and very yummy! As suggested this could literally lift you up while you are sick or down with a bad cold, etc.! Recipe here: http://www.cynthiapresser.com/brazilian-recipes-south-american-cuisine/brazilian-main-courses/379-canja-brazilian-chicken-and-rice-soup

Serves 4 to 5

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 to 2 medium carrots, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and finely shredded 
• Salt and pepper
• 6 cups water (I used the stock from cooking chicken)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice 
• 1/2 cup frozen or freshly cooked corn
• 2 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped

Preparation

• Set a pan or pressure pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and allow to heat up. Add onions and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes.
• Add shredded chicken and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add water or chicken stock and allow it to come to a light boil. Stir in rice. 
• If using pressure pan or cooker, you could pressure cook rice and continue to cook on low heat after releasing the pressure until the soup has thickened. 
• If not using pressure pan or cooker, reduce heat to low and partially cover pot once the water returns to a light boil. Simmer over low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until soup has thicken and the rice has nearly incorporated into broth.
• Remove from heat. Fold in corn and scallions, add more salt if needed. Cover with lid and let it seat 30 minutes off the heat.
• Serve warm, topped with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (optional).

Chicken Parmigiana (Frango à Parmegiana)

One of the dishes I tried for my Brazilian Food Week in November 2017 and served over linguini as suggested in the recipe. Had to make only one substitution for Panko breadcrumbs as it is not available in our Indian markets. Did turn out very good - my nieces can vouch for that! Recipe here: http://www.cynthiapresser.com/recipe-blog/main-dishes/chicken/313-chicken-parmigiana-frango-a-parmegiana

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into 4 fillets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs (I used 1/2 cup extra bread crumbs)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used fresh) 
• 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped
• 4 slices ham
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella - a combination of cheeses can be used)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded

Chicken Parmigiana

Served over a bed of linguini

Preparation

• Season chicken fillets with salt and pepper. Keep bread crumbs in a bowl. 
• Dip fillets into egg, and then dredge in the bread crumbs mixture, letting excess drip off.
• Place 2 tablespoons olive oil on a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, fry chicken fillets 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer fillets to a baking dish.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Add remaining olive oil to the same pan. Add the onions and cook over moderate heat until soft, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Reduce heat to medium and add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Fold in basil.
• Top chicken breasts with tomato sauce, ham, shredded cheese, and parmesan. Bake until chicken is cooked through and cheeses have melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve over a bed of linguini. 

Coxinhas (Brazilian Chicken croquettes)

I came upon this recipe in Olivia's Cuisine for my Brazilian Food week in November 2017. It is a wonderfully delicious snack which can be used as main dish for dinner too and which it was for me! Recipe here: http://www.oliviascuisine.com/the-world-cup-gourmet-series-brazil-coxinhas-chicken-croquettes/

Makes: 30 

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 1.5 lbs chicken
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp poultry seasoning (Recipe below)
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1 package of cream cheese (I used substitute - given below)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dough

• 1 large potato
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cube of chicken bouillon
• 2 tbsp salted butter
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• Breadcrumbs
• Bowl of almost freezing water
• Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation

• Pressure cook the chicken and potato with 1 chicken cube. After pressure is released, drain and reserve 2 1/2 cups broth for the dough.
• Mash the potato and reserve.
• Shred the chicken in a food processor or blender and reserve.
• Add the broth to a pan with the mashed potato and butter. Bring to a boil and add the flour, little at a time, stirring constantly till it forms a dough. Turn off heat.
• Knead the dough while it is still warm until smooth.
• To make the filling, sauté the onions and garlic until translucent and the add the chicken, poultry seasoning and the parsley. Mix everything together and season with salt and pepper. Add the cream cheese and cook until the cream cheese is melted and everything is incorporated.
• To make the coxinhas, take a little piece of the dough and form a ping pong sized ball. Flatten it into a disc, hollowing up the middle for the filling. 
• Spoon a tablespoon of the filling into the middle of dough.
• Press the dough closed around the filling, shaping it like a teardrop.
• To coat the coxinhas with breadcrumbs, first wet one of your hands with cold water and pass it on the coxinha. Then, coat the coxinha with breadcrumbs. Set it aside in a baking sheet and continue to coat all the coxinhas.
• Heat oil in a saucepan and fry them in batches till they are golden brown.
• Place them on kitchen tissues and serve with hot sauce.

Note:

Recipe for Poultry Seasoning:

• 2 tsp ground sage
• 2 tsp ground thyme
• 1 tsp ground marjoram
• 3/4 tsp ground rosemary
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
• Mix thoroughly and store in airtight container

Substitute for cream cheese:

Strain yoghurt overnight in cheesecloth and use as substitute for cream cheese.

Greek Pastichio (Pastitsio)

I wanted to do an authentic, traditional Pastitsio for my Greek Food week in October 2016. I was looking at a flood of recipes and was not sure if they were authentic when I suddenly came upon this video on my screen. I decided that this was original and authentic when the person in the video was very particular about how certain things were done to honour the Greek heritage. I was so taken up by the video that I visited her blog immediately and found so many other Greek dishes there too. I was so happy that I found this blog. Thank you, Didi, for the recipe and the blog!!!. Of course, as usual, I could not find some ingredients in my place and had to do some substitutions. But the end product was definitely out of the world and my two nieces could vouch for that. Recipe and video here: http://www.dishinwithdidi.com/2013/03/homemade-greek-pastichio-video.html

Serves 4

Ingredients
For the Sauce:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I used 450 grams fresh tomatoes, pureed in a blender)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 stick cinnamon or 3/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

For the Bechamel (White Sauce):

• 2 cups milk
• 55 grams butter
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 5 tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup Kefalotyri cheese (I used Parmesan)
• 1/8 tsp white pepper
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg 

For the Pasta:

• 225 grams long macaroni (I used Penne Rigate)
• 1/2 cup Kefalotyri (I used Parmesan)

For the Topping:

• 1 tbsp Kefalotyri (I used Parmesan)
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  
  

Preparation

• Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan with a couple of pinches of salt.
• In another large saucepan, add the ground beef and saute till completely browned. Add the onions and saute for 3 to 5 minutes till onions are soft and succulent. Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste and the cinnamon. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the pasta now to the boiling water and allow to boil till al dente, about 15 minutes. Drain the pasta and keep it under running water to stop the cooking process. Drain well, add to a large bowl and sprinkle the cheese. Toss to mix well.
• Take a baking pan and brush it with butter. Arrange the pasta, one next to the other facing one direction. Now add the beef mixture over the pasta.
• Meanwhile, take another saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour and cook for a minute. Then add the milk, whisking all the time till the bechamel thickens, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat, add in the cheese, pepper, salt and nutmeg.
• In a small bowl, ladle 2 to 3 spoonfuls of the hot bechamel. Add the beaten eggs to it. Once incorporated, add the tempered Bechamel to the bechamel in the saucepan. Whisk thoroughly to mix well. 
• Pour the now tempered Bechamel sauce over the beef mixture in the baking pan, sprinkle with a topping of cheese and some nutmeg and bake in a preheated oven at 175 degree Celsius for about 55 minutes or till the edges are starting to become brown. 
• Remove from the oven, let rest for about 20 minutes and serve.

Greek Omelette with Spinach and Feta

I was looking for different omelette recipes for dinner while I found some Greek omelette recipes with gyro meat, grilled chicken, etc. I then found this recipe which said My Big Fat Greek Omelette. Having watched the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I became interested immediately and checked it out. It seemed to be quite a healthy one with spinach and I tried it out. came out good and yummy. Recipe here:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/80046/my-big-fat-greek-omelet/

Recipe tried and tested in October 2016

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup spinach, dunked in boiling water, squeezed dry and chopped finely
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved (I used normal ones, diced)
• 1/2 tsp oregano, divided
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup feta cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation

• In a bowl, mix tomatoes with 1/4 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper and stir in feta cheese.
• Beat eggs in another bowl, stir in spinach and the remaining oregano, salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat and add the egg mixture to it. Push back the eggs that have set with a spatula, tilt the skillet and allow the uncooked egg mixture to run into the empty portion of the skillet. Continue doing this till the omelette is moist but cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes. 
• Reduce heat to low and add the tomato mixture to half of the egg. Carefully fold the untopped half over the filling, remove to a plate and allow to let stand for a minute. 
• Cut the omelette into two portions and serve immediately. 

Chicken, Spinach and Feta Mini Loaves with Dill Mashed Potato Topping

While I was looking at my new found food blog of Didi Dabala with eagerness and anticipation in October 2016, I came upon the newest recipe that was posted in it: Turkey, Spinach and Feta Mini Loaves with Dill Mashed Potato Topping and this seemed to be exactly what I was looking for to do for dinner that night and it also seemed to be super easy! Except that turkey meat is not available in our local markets during this time and so I decided to do it with chicken! The mini loaves so looked like beautiful cup cakes!!! Recipe here: http://www.dishinwithdidi.com/2016/10/turkey-spinach-feta-mini-loaves-with.html

Makes 6 mini loaves

Ingredients

Mini Loaves

• 225 grams chicken mince
• 1/2 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup oats (I had only steel cut oats though the original recipes instructs not to use steel cut oats)
• 1/2 bunch fresh spinach, blanched, squeezed and chopped (the original recipe calls for 512 grams frozen spinach, chopped and squeezed)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning (I used homemade one: mix 1 tbsp dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano each, 1/3 tbsp garlic powder, 1/3 tsp onion powder, thyme, rosemary each, pinch pepper powder, roasted pepper flakes together to get about 4 tbsp seasoning)

Mashed Potato

• 2 cups mashed potato (Boil 2 large potatoes, about 500 grams) till tender but firm and mash it with a potato ricer or a grater (I used the murrukku mould). Melt 2 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup milk till butter is melts and blend it with the mashed potato until smooth and creamy)
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• pinch salt and pepper
• 1/2 egg
  

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
• Add all the ingredients for the mini loaves in a bowl and mix them thoroughly.
• Place them in a muffin mould sprayed with a cooking spray. (As I do not have a built in oven and do all my baking in the convection oven of my microwave oven, I used small glass bowls and brushed them with oil.)
• Bake them for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile prepare the mashed potatoes and place them in a plastic bag.
• When the mini loaves are done, take them out and pipe the mashed potato topping over them. If you are using the muffin mould, you have to take the mini loaves out of the moulds and place them on a baking sheet.)
• Return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes when the potatoes start to become golden. 
• Remove from the oven, let rest for about 5 minutes and serve with salad of choice.

Greek Omelette

While browsing for different omelette recipes, I came across this recipe with gyro meat. That's when I started looking out for gyro meat recipes and tried it successfully. With gyro meat in hand, I was then able to make this delicious omelette for dinner. Recipe from http://www.shugarysweets.com/2014/04/greek-omelettes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• Salt to taste
• 8 gyro meat slices
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Homemade Tzatziki sauce for serving (Recipe here: https://forthetastebud.blogspot.in/2016/10/gyro-meat.html)
  

Preparation

• Pan fry the gyro meat slices on both sides until crisp.
• Beat eggs with water and salt.
• Heat 1 tbsp butter in a non stick skillet. Pour 1/4 of the beaten egg into the skillet. Cover and cook on medium heat. When the egg is almost cooked and still moist, add 2 tbsp feta cheese, red peppers and 2 slices of gyro meat in the middle. Flip one side over the filling and the other side over this and cook for another 30 seconds. Slide onto plate.
• Top with homemade Tzatziki sauce and serve hot.

Gyro Meat

I happened to chance on this Greek dish while browsing for a Greek omelette. It looked very yummy and delicious. So I looked at a couple of Gyro meat recipes and used the ingredients from one and the procedure from another and got a very yummilicious gyro meat to serve with pita bread and tzatziki sauce. Recipe from https://manfuelblog.com/2015/08/23/easy-homemade-gyro-meat-recipe/ and http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gyro-meat-with-tzatziki-sauce-recipe.html

Makes about 30 to 35 slices

Ingredients

• 450 grams lamb mince
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  

Preparation

• Mix the lamb mince with salt, pepper and oregano. Form it into a tight ball, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. (I refrigerated it for about three hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
• Process the onion in a blender for 30 seconds and turn it out into a cheese cloth to remove all the juices.
• Put it back in the blender along with the garlic and the refrigerated mince. Process it to a fine paste.
• Line a rectangular baking dish with aluminium foil and place the mixture into it. Form it into a rectangular loaf, making sure it is uniformly flat.
• Bake in the oven for about 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reads about 165 to 170 degrees Celsius.
• Remove all the excess fat and place it in the cooling rack with a brick covered in silver foil over it for 10 minutes. (I baked in the convection of my microwave oven so I left it in the oven for 10 minutes with the brick over it.)
• Slice it thinly and pan fry it over the stove top until browned and crisp on one side to get the crispy effect in gyro meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie.
• Make a sandwich with about 3 or 4 slices of gyro meat, slices of onion, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce inside pita bread or on top of it as desired and serve. (Recipe for homemade pita bread tzatziki given below.)
  
  
• Alternatively, you could serve gyro meat with only the tzatziki sauce.
  

Recipe for Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I found them in Nilgiris Supermarket in Chennai). Alternatively, you could use hung yogurt instead. (Yogurt hung in a cheese for at least 7 to 8 hours)
• 1/2 English cucumber
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen dill (I used 3 tbsp dried dill)
  
  
  

Preparation

• Dice the cucumber thinly and strain the juices in a cheesecloth.
• In a bowl, combine the strained cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, pressed garlic, dill, salt and pepper.
• Refrigerate and serve.

Recipe for Pita bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 to 2 tsp olive oil
  

Preparation

• Mix the water and yeast together in a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes till completely dissolved. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, salt and oil and mix well to form a shaggy dough.
• Knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the hands and the work surface, but use it very sparingly.
• Coat another bowl with olive oil. Set the dough in this bowl and turn it until completely coated. Cover it with a plastic wrap and allow it to rise and double in about 2 hours time.
• Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it gently with a floured rolling pin about 8 to 9 inches and a quarter of an inch thick. 
• Preheat the oven to 215 degrees Celsius. Bake it on a baking tray. The pita will start puffing up after 1 or 2 minutes. They are done when they are fully ballooned. (Pitas won't puff if the oven is not very hot so make sure it is preheated fully)
• Keep baked pitas covered with a plastic wrap until all are done.