Whole Wheat Pita Bread

1 pkg. dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. plus 2 tbsp. warm water
2 1/4 c (11 ounces) *bread* flour
1/2 c (2 ounces) stone ground whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let stand until foam develops on the surface and yeast is proofed.

Add the flours to processor bowl fitted with the metal blade. With the machine running, pour yeast mixture through feed tube and process for 40 seconds. The dough should work away from the sides of the bowl and the texture be elastic and moist. Add more flour or liquid to achieve correct texture. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and rotate to coat entire surface. Cover with a damp towl and set in an oven that has been preheated to 140 degrees F. for 2 minutes and turned off. Cushion the bottom the bowl with a pot holder. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk.

Punch the dough down and place on a floured board. Add 2 tbsp of bread flour if dough is too sticky to handle. Form the dough into a ball. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (I do this by weight). Form round cushions and put these on a floured board. Lightly grease one side of plastic wrap and place over cushions. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

On a heavily floured board, roll each piece of dough into a 5-inch diameter circle about 1/8 inch thick. Cover the rounds loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. When using a stone I place the rounds on a small amount of cornmeal, which serves as *ball bearings* when baking later.

Preheat the oven for 15 minutes at 500 degrees F. (550 degrees is better if your oven will go that high. Be sure rack rests in lower third of oven. Place a baking sheet (I use a baking stone) to preheat, about 8 to 10 minutes. Then oil or grease the baking sheet (not the stone). Place four or five 5-inch (whatever your sheet will hold) rounds of dough on the sheet and place in the oven immediately. When using a stone I transfer the rounds from the sheet they rose on to the stone with a baker's peel. Bake for 4 or 5 minutes (they will puff nicely). Watch closely, through the window if your oven has one. You will see the pita rise and, at full extension, drop back slightly. This is when you remove them from the oven. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Reheat baking sheet (or stone) for 3 minutes and repeat the procedure for remaining rounds of dough. When they are almost cool, wrap airtight in foil, flattening the pita gently. They will freeze nicely. Reheat, wrapped in foil at 350 degrees F.

Enjoy. 8-)

Anne S.