AFAIK there are basically two types. The kind that forms a pocket and has a
drier finished result and the thicker, softer kind. Yes of those two kinds
there are various types. I have seen whole wheat. Whole wheat with honey.
I didn't try that because I'm not a fan of honey. I've even seen
multigrain. And it comes in different sizes. I used to love the mini pita
pockets when I was working and would take my lunch. Two of those filled
with some sort of salad made a nice lunch. I didn't know about hummus in
those days. I do now!

For dinner tonight I am having the Kangaroo brand of pita pockets with some
Hannah hommus (their spelling) from Costco. Yes, I know people say hummus
is dead easy to make. But then so is peanut butter and I buy that too. I
figure if I can buy something that is wholesome and good tasting and cheap,
there is no need to make it. I only make my own when I think I can make it
better than what I've bought.

That being said... I have made my own pita. I was a kid then and had never
actually had pita. So I had nothing to compare it to. I remember buying
some sort of unglazed tiles to bake it on. It puffed up like balloons as it
baked. And then it sank some as it cooled I liked it then and I like it
now.

One of my favorite foods ever is a hummus and pita sandwich made by a
restaurant that is here in Mukilteo, WA. They did have other locations but
AFAIK that is the only one left. They make their own pita. It is not the
pocket kind. It is soft and warm. They roll it around a very soft, rather
runny hummus, sliced tomato, sliced cucumber and red onion. The bottom of
it is wrapped in foil because it is messy to eat. But sooo good!

So which kind of pita is your favorite? And do you make your own?

Julie Bove > wrote:

> AFAIK there are basically two types. The kind that forms a pocket and
> has a drier finished result and the thicker, softer kind. [snip]

Recently all the pita breads I've been seeing are sort of hybrid
of these two. They do not form a pocket as easily as the historically-
available pita, but they are softer; and with some care you can
usually form a pocket.

Expecting to be able to form a pocket, and not being able to do so,
is a PITA.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)



Steve

"Steve Pope" > wrote in message
...
> Julie Bove > wrote:
>
>> AFAIK there are basically two types. The kind that forms a pocket and
>> has a drier finished result and the thicker, softer kind. [snip]
>
> Recently all the pita breads I've been seeing are sort of hybrid
> of these two. They do not form a pocket as easily as the historically-
> available pita, but they are softer; and with some care you can
> usually form a pocket.
>
> Expecting to be able to form a pocket, and not being able to do so,
> is a PITA.
>
> (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I did notice that what I had tonight didn't want to pocket very well but it
was close to the expiration date of the 4th. Could have just been a fluke
with the 2 pieces I had tonight. The pieces I ate prior seemed to work
better.

Julie Bove > wrote:

>I did notice that what I had tonight didn't want to pocket very well but it
>was close to the expiration date of the 4th. Could have just been a fluke
>with the 2 pieces I had tonight. The pieces I ate prior seemed to work
>better.

The stuff definitely doesn't pocket 100% reliably like it used to.


Steve

"Steve Pope" > wrote in message
...
> Julie Bove > wrote:
>
>>I did notice that what I had tonight didn't want to pocket very well but
>>it
>>was close to the expiration date of the 4th. Could have just been a fluke
>>with the 2 pieces I had tonight. The pieces I ate prior seemed to work
>>better.
>
> The stuff definitely doesn't pocket 100% reliably like it used to.

That's what I thought too. And it seems drier. Maybe I should start making
my own again. As breads go it is one of the quicker ones to make.

On 4/3/2012 11:58 PM, Julie Bove wrote:

>
> So which kind of pita is your favorite? And do you make your own?
>
>

I make my own - a Moroccan type which are cooked on the stove top.
They puff up and make a pocket. I usually make them with either half
wheat/half white flour or durum flour. Durum is nice because it
gives the pita a little chew.

I like them plain, or with peanut butter. Moroccans like them filled
with honey and butter or jam.

At a sub place near my old job, I used to get a pita sandwich with
hummus, diced cucumber, tomatoes, sprouts and hots. It was really
good and messy.

Tracy

On Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:17:43 -0400, Tracy > wrote:

>
>
>On 4/3/2012 11:58 PM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
>>
>> So which kind of pita is your favorite? And do you make your own?
>>
>>
>
>I make my own - a Moroccan type which are cooked on the stove top.
>They puff up and make a pocket. I usually make them with either half
>wheat/half white flour or durum flour. Durum is nice because it
>gives the pita a little chew.
>

Not a regular pita eater, but I am more likely to make them than buy
them. I make mine with Barry's recipe-
http://artisanbreadbaking.com/bread/pita/

Clean the window on your oven first-- watching them pop on the stone
is 1/2 the fun.


>I like them plain, or with peanut butter. Moroccans like them filled
>with honey and butter or jam.
>
>At a sub place near my old job, I used to get a pita sandwich with
>hummus, diced cucumber, tomatoes, sprouts and hots. It was really
>good and messy.
>

I like 'salad in a pita' when I do them.

Jim

On Apr 3, 11:58*pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> AFAIK there are basically two types. *The kind that forms a pocket and has a
> drier finished result and the thicker, softer kind. *Yes of those two kinds
> there are various types. *I have seen whole wheat. *Whole wheat with honey.
> I didn't try that because I'm not a fan of honey. *I've even seen
> multigrain. *And it comes in different sizes. I used to love the mini pita
> pockets when I was working and would take my lunch. *Two of those filled
> with some sort of salad made a nice lunch. *I didn't know about hummus in
> those days. *I do now!
>
> For dinner tonight I am having the Kangaroo brand of pita pockets with some
> Hannah hommus (their spelling) from Costco. *Yes, I know people say hummus
> is dead easy to make. *But then so is peanut butter and I buy that too. *I
> figure if I can buy something that is wholesome and good tasting and cheap,
> there is no need to make it. *I only make my own when I think I can make it
> better than what I've bought.
>
> That being said... *I have made my own pita. *I was a kid then and had never
> actually had pita. *So I had nothing to compare it to. *I remember buying
> some sort of unglazed tiles to bake it on. *It puffed up like balloons as it
> baked. *And then it sank some as it cooled *I liked it then and I like it
> now.
>
> One of my favorite foods ever is a hummus and pita sandwich made by a
> restaurant that is here in Mukilteo, WA. *They did have other locations but
> AFAIK that is the only one left. *They make their own pita. *It is not the
> pocket kind. *It is soft and warm. *They roll it around a very soft, rather
> runny hummus, sliced tomato, sliced cucumber and red onion. *The bottom of
> it is wrapped in foil because it is messy to eat. *But sooo good!
>
> So which kind of pita is your favorite? *And do you make your own?

AFAIK, they ALL break up when you try to stuff 'em. I gave up on
pitas long ago.

Kalmia > wrote:

-snip-
>
>AFAIK, they ALL break up when you try to stuff 'em. I gave up on
>pitas long ago.

You've got to make them just once- It's really pretty simple, if I
can do it-
http://artisanbreadbaking.com/bread/pita/

Jim

On 4/4/2012 3:02 PM, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
> > wrote:
>
> -snip-
>>
>> AFAIK, they ALL break up when you try to stuff 'em. I gave up on
>> pitas long ago.
>
> You've got to make them just once- It's really pretty simple, if I
> can do it-
> http://artisanbreadbaking.com/bread/pita/
>
> Jim

I buy my pita bread. The ones I have at the moment are labelled Middle
East Bakery and I freeze them and defrost in a toaster. If you want to
use them as dippers for hummus, just toast a bit longer, otherwise take
them out as soon as they soften. I know the setting on my toaster but
everyone's seems to have different settings. I make my own hummus; it's
low-fat and cross-cultural contamination no doubt (Mexican) but rather good.



1 can chickpeas (14 fl oz) drained
Juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic (maybe more roasted)
2 tab chopped Coriander (or other herbs, like Parsley or
cumin, to taste.)
2 drops toasted sesame oil

Throw all into a food processor, and whirl until you get a paste of the
desired consistency. A blender will work but you have to keep pushing
the mix down. Some people rinse the canned beans to get rid of the extra
salt. Depending on how well it's been drained, you might need to add a
couple extra tabs of water. Some people use chicken broth, non-fat
mayo, tabasco. I wonder if fat substitute (apple sauce) might work.


--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not" in Reply To.