Spelt Pita

When the forecast is sunny with a high of 31°C, I have a few requirements for my lunch.

First, it must be cold. I’ve heard lengthy debates as to whether eating hot soup when it’s hot actually cools you down or not, but my apartment is unairconditioned and has very poor air circulation, so I’d like to avoid turning on the stove as much as possible.

Second, it must be portable. Because of the aforementioned airlessness of my apartment, I like to be able to retreat to the roof to catch a breeze, or at the very least sit in the shade on the balcony.

That isn’t too much to ask, is it?

It isn’t—if you plan ahead. I didn’t, and ended up having the oven on at 450°F for much of the morning. Ah well. Now I have a nice supply of pita bread—cool and about as portable as you can get—for my lunch on the next hot day.

Spelt Pita

• 1/4 tsp yeast
• 1/2 C warm water
• 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 C whole spelt flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 C water

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water.

Measure out about 3 C of the flour into a bowl, and add the salt, the yeast mixture, and the water. Mix well, adding enough extra flour to form a soft dough. Knead well for about 5 minutes, cover the bowl, and set it aside to rise overnight.

Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into about 12 pieces and gently roll out three of them on a well-floured surface. The rounds should be about 6 inches in diameter. Gently place them on the baking sheet and bake for 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 minutes, until they are puffed and slightly browned but still very soft. Remove them to a cooling rack and repeat the process for the next three pitas, and so on until all of them are baked.

12 pitas.