17 April, 2021
Pitta Pane Calabrese/Calabrese Pitta Bread
Pitta …a traditional Calabrese bread. Soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside!
In Calabrese cooking, pitta dates back to ancient times. Some say it is of Greek origin while others say it is of Roman origin. This makes sense given the history of Calabria which has had inhabitants and invasions from Greece and the Romans, not to mention the Normans (French), Arabs, Spanish, and Germans (Goths). Growing up we called it pitta or schiacciata which means flattened. This is because pitta is flat and round with a hole in the middle. This bread is DELICIOUS, especially warm out of the oven with melted butter or stuffed with savory Italian cold cuts.
Pitta was traditionally baked before other breads to test the temperature of the oven and make sure it was ready for baking. Therefore, making this bread is slightly different than when baking the round loaves you may be accustomed to seeing.
Ingredients for a medium sized bread:
- 4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tsp yeast
- 1 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 tsp sugar
Start by adding the yeast and sugar to the warm water, set aside and allow the yeast to bubble/lightly foam. In a large bowl or directly on the kneading board measure out the flour and salt and slowly add the yeast/water to the flour while combining. Once all combined, turn the dough onto a floured board and knead for about 2 to 3 minutes or until it is smooth. Sprinkle the bottom of the bowl with a little flour, so that it doesn’t stick, place the dough back into the bowl, and cover with a clean dishcloth until it doubles in size (about 2 hours).
Now here is the difference….
Turn the dough back out onto the floured kneading board and flatten it out with your hands into a round disc (about 1/2 inch thick). Then take a glass (about a white wine glass sized mouth) and cut a hole in the middle. Transfer it and the cut-out hole to your floured baking sheet or baking stone and cover with a clean dishcloth for 1 hour.
Bake at 425 degrees F on the bottom rack for about 15 minutes. You will know it’s done when it is a light golden color.
