Pita Pockets

Day 210: The pandemic has left people with a lot more time on their hands, and many of us have turned to new hobbies or picked up old ones again for the first time in many years. I can only do needlework for a limited number of hours per day, so I've reverted to cooking as an alternate. I've always enjoyed baking, but not so much preparing meals. Friends have often heard me say that if it takes more than one pan and five minutes prep time, I'm not going to bother making it. The exception to that rule is ethnic dishes. I like the challenge presented by trying to recreate some of my restaurant favourites, as you will no doubt recall from earlier posts about cooking Chinese. That said, my favourite sandwich is gyros, and let's settle one thing right here at the outset: the word "gyros" is singular, and it is pronounced YEE-ros. It means "to turn" and gives us the English words "gyrate," "gyroscope" and others, but note that the hard G is an Anglicization. I repeat, the word for the rotisseried meat is "gyros," said YEE-ros, and don't argue with me. It has also come to mean the whole sandwich as popularized by Greek-American restaurants.

This week has had a decidedly Greek flavour. I made spanakopita a few days ago to have something to eat while the gyros was/were in preparation. Then I made a baked version of the meat and tzadziki sauce, both of which needed to rest in the fridge for at least 12 hours. But key to the whole meal was pita, the pocket bread which makes the sandwich. I hadn't made pita in twenty years, and hoped I hadn't lost my touch. I use a recipe in Bernard Clayton's "Complete Book of Breads," but not the one listed under "pita" in the index. Rather, I use the "Arab Bread" version which is baked in a very hot (500 degree) oven. The bread takes roughly 2 1/2 hours from start to finish. The secret is in rolling them out with sufficient flour to keep the dough from sticking to the board or the pin. If it sticks rather than stretching, the characteristic air pocket will not develop properly. If you prefer your pita with a little browning, you can cook them on a griddle or in a cast-iron skillet if you like. Mine puffed to perfection in the oven.