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Method

1. Pour the yeast in the water and whisk it in. Set aside until it starts to bubble.

2. Add the oil and salt to the flour. Mix to combine using your hands or a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook.

3. Slowly add the yeasty water until the dough comes together. (If using a mixer, slowly incorporate the yeasty water on a slow speed until the dough comes together.)

4. Once all the water has been incorporated, knead the dough for 5–8 minutes in the mixer, or until the mixture stretches when pulled. If kneading the dough by hand, hold the dough and stretch it away from you with the heel or knuckles of one hand and fold it back over the top towards you, turn the dough and repeat the stretching and folding. It’ll usually take 5–10 minutes to do it properly and you know it’s ready when the dough stretches easily without tearing.

5. Lightly oil a clean large bowl and add the dough. Cover with a tea towel and leave the dough to prove in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size (it will take longer in a cold room).

6. While the dough is proving, preheat the oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9.

7. When the dough is ready, shape it into a flat ‘sausage’ shape. Cut the sausage into about 8 equal sections. (Ask an adult to help if using a knife!)

8. Dust a board very lightly with flour and roll each portion into a ball. Roll the dough backwards and forwards with a rolling pin until your dough turns into a flat oval pitta shape, but you can have fun and experiment with the shapes of your pittas.

9. Sprinkle a large baking sheet or tray with flour. Place the pitta breads on the baking tray with a little space between each one and cook in the oven for about 4–5 minutes until they are lightly golden on the top and have puffed up.

10. Take the pittas out of the oven and leave to cool slightly. If you can tear open the pitta to create a ‘pocket’, then you know you’ve done a good job!