Cybele Pascal’s Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Corn Free, Vegan Pita Breads

• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp warm water (110°F – 115°F)
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 packet rapid-rise yeast*
• 3 ¼ cups Gluten-Free Bread Flour Mix (see Cybele's recipe here)
• 2 Tbsp plain coconut milk yogurt (So Delicious)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 tsp xanthan gum (Authentic Foods xanthan gum is corn-free)
• 1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1. Combine warm water with sugar and rapid-rise yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Be sure your water isn’t too hot, or it will kill the yeast.  Use a thermometer to be sure it’s the right temp! Whisk well, to incorporate the yeast and dissolve the sugar.  Let rest about 5 minutes, to “proof”.
2. Measure out the flour mix by spooning it into a dry measuring cup, then leveling with a straightedge.  Combine flour mix with xanthan gum and salt, whisking well.
3. Add coconut milk yogurt and olive oil to yeast mixture. Blend on medium speed.
4. Add flour mixture to mixing bowl, and blend on low until incorporated, then medium speed until dough is thoroughly combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. It will be quite sticky.
5. Sprinkle a work surface amply with some gf bread flour mix. Use a rubber spatula to turn out dough onto work surface.
6. Dust hands with a little flour mix, and sprinkle dough with a bit more. Mold into a ball.
7. Cut into quarters, then cut quarters in half, for a total of 8 pieces. Sprinkle with a little flour mix, then roll into balls.
8. Grease 2 baking trays well with olive oil.  I use a pastry brush to be sure it’s evenly distributed. Transfer 4 balls to each tray. Use the palm of your hand to flatten the balls into 5 1/2 –inch rounds.  Use fingers to shape edges as necessary.
9. Adjust oven racks to two lowest positions in oven.  Fill a baking pan with very hot water and place on bottom of oven. Cover trays with plastic wrap.  Place in oven and let rise about 1 hour till pockets are starting to form. You will probably want to change your hot water once halfway through. Remove trays from oven.  Set aside. Remove pan of hot water from oven.
10. Preheat oven to 500°F.
11. Bake pitas one tray at a time on lowest rack in oven, 10 minutes, till golden brown.
12. Remove from oven, transfer from baking tray to cooling rack. They will be hard at first. 
13. Let rest about 10 minutes. The steam will finish the pocket making process, and they will soften up a bit.
14. Cut pockets in half. Use a knife to separate pocket if necessary.  Best when eaten fresh.

Here are some troubleshooting tips from Cybele's original post:

• Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
• Use rapid rise yeast. This is not the same thing as “Active Dry” yeast. Rapid Rise (also known as “Quick Rise”) yeast only requires one rise, which is all a gf dough can really handle. This recipes timing is based on using RAPID RISE yeast. I like good old Fleischmann’s. It is highly active yeast.
• Use a thermometer to be sure your water is 110-115F.
• Be sure your yeast has “proofed”. This looks like ‘foaming” If it hasn’t, the bread won’t rise.
• Aerate your flour mix, by shaking it up, or tossing it well. You want it light. When you measure, do not scoop the flour with the measuring cup. Spoon it into your dry measuring cups. then level with a straightedge.
• Your dough should be wet and sticky. If it’s not, you need to add a little more warm water, a tiny bit at a time.
• Your dough should be very playable. When you press it out onto the baking trays, it should be very soft and easy to work with. See the pics above.
• Be sure to add really hot water to the pan in the oven, while the pockets are rising. Do not rush the rise process. Make sure that the pockets are beginning to show bubbles, or a “puff”. The pockets will just about double in thickness for their rise.
• Be sure your oven is the right temp.
• When they first come out of the oven, they will be hard. They will soften up after about 10 minutes of resting on the cooling rack. The steam helps soften them, and also helps to form that pocket. IF when you cut them in half, the pocket does not fully separate, then use a knife to coax it along (i often do this with store-bought pitas).
• Re freezing, I don’t know, i haven’t tried it. Give it a test run (i will too) But as mentioned, these are best when eaten fresh, the day of baking. Remember, they are totally free of any additives, natural or otherwise, that extend shelf life in store bought breads. And like all fresh baked bread, they’ll get stale.

Head to Cybele's original post for detailed photos and further information about this recipe. 
Learn more about Cybele at Cybele Pascal - The Allergy-Friendly Cook.
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