Pita Bread (the perfect meal part 1)

I made the best meal of 2016 and probably 2015 and 2017.  Part 1 is homemade Pita Bread. Mine didn't get as hollow as I would have liked but it has a little puff.  It was much better than store bought but not quite as good as a Greek restaurant (getting there).  We used ours as more of a flatbread than a pocket sandwich. You probably have all the ingredients so go ahead and make this since it needs to rise for 8 hours to 3 days!

Pita Bread
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Makes 8 pitas

• 16 ounces of flour (3 cups) plus a 1/4 cup for rolling
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/4 cup water, room temperature

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients.  Mix on low speed (2 out of 10) with the paddle attachment for 20 seconds.  Mix on medium speed (4 out of 10) for 10 minutes with the dough hook.

Let the dough rest in a covered, oiled bowl for 8 hours to 3 days in the refrigerator.

One hour and 30 minutes before you want the pitas done, place a rack at the lowest space in the oven, and place a baking sheet  in the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

One hour before you want the pitas done, remove the dough from the fridge. Cut into 8 even pieces and keep covered with a damp cloth. On a lightly floured counter pull one piece out, shape into a bowl then flatten into a disc and place on a baking sheet. Repeat until all pieces are done. Cover with the dough with oiled plastic and let rise for 20 minutes at room temp.

After 20 minutes, roll each disk flat to a circle under 1/4 inch thick. Let rise for another 10 minutes.

Spray the baking sheet that is in the oven with cooking spray (keeping it in the oven). Take one piece of the dough. Roll flat again and mist with some water.  Throw onto the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 3 minutes. It should be puffy but not brown. Remove with tongs and keep warm in a dish towel.

Repeat for the rest of the dough pieces, you can do more than one at once.