Einkorn Pitas {with Sourdough or Dry Yeast}

If you ever wondered if it’s possible to make pitas from einkorn – it definitely is! Even though einkorn is more fragile than regular wheat because of its weaker gluten and higher protein, it makes delicious pitas that can be used for stuffing. I keep my pitas relatively small – around 5-6 inches because of the fact I just mentioned – einkorn is lower in gluten, which is what keeps pitas flexible. Here I have two recipes – sourdough einkorn pitas and pitas made with bakers yeast. To be perfectly honest, I prefer the yeasted version because naturally fermenting einkorn pitas develops almost too strong of a flavor. I think pitas need to be very mild tasting so they can complement other foods, not overpower.

Pitas can be made in the oven, or stove top. Oven baking produces a better puff and softer pitas but doesn’t get those pretty brown spots that you would get with stove top cooking. With that said, I think einkorn pitas are better off to be cooked in the oven – to keep them softer and more pliable, and avoid getting a crusty texture, which would make them more fragile.

HOW TO MAKE EINKORN PITAS

Sourdough Einkorn Pitas

Ingredients
1 cup water
1 tablespoon active sourdough starter (I use rye; how to make rye sourdough starter)
2.5 cups all-purpose einkorn flour (I used Jovial einkorn here)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions
Whisk water and sourdough starter until frothy.
Add sifted einkorn and salt. Start mixing with a spoon until it becomes too hard to do (chunks of dough forming).
Add olive oil, and knead with your hand for a couple of minutes, until the dough is smooth. Stop kneading once the dough starts to feel sticky. Cover, and leave at room temperature for 6 hours or so. Don’t go too much longer otherwise you will have very sour pitas (einkorn ferments much quicker than other grains).
When ready to bake, place a cast iron skillet or a pizza stone in the oven, and turn it on to preheat to 450ºF.
Generously flour your work surface, and using a soft spatula turn the dough onto it; it will be sloppy. Sprinkle flour on top.

Gently knead it into a soft ball adding more flour if needed to prevent sticking, but try not to go overboard with – we are trying to keep the dough moist and soft. Form a dough ‘sausage’ and separate it into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and keep them covered until ready to shape. Roll each ball out to about 6″.

Bake each pita for 2 minutes on one side, flip with a soft spatula, and bake 1 more minute. You don’t want to overbake or brown the pitas.
Keep cooked pitas on a plate lined with a napkin and covered with a towel to keep soft.

Print Recipe

Sourdough Einkorn Pitas

Cook Time24 minutes mins

Total Time24 minutes mins

Course: bread

Servings: 8 pitas

Author: Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon active sourdough starter I use rye; how to make rye sourdough starter
• 2.5 cups all-purpose einkorn flour
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

• Whisk water and sourdough starter until frothy.
• Add sifted einkorn and salt. Start mixing starter water and flour with a spoon until it becomes too hard to do (chunks of dough forming).
• Add olive oil, and knead with your hand for a couple of minutes, until the dough is smooth. Stop kneading once the dough starts to feel sticky. Cover, and leave at room temperature for 6 hours or so. Don't go too much longer otherwise you will have very sour pitas (einkorn ferments much quicker than other grains).
• When ready to bake, place a cast iron skillet or a pizza stone in the oven, and turn it on to preheat to 450ºF.
• Using a soft spatula, turn the dough onto a well floured work surface; the dough will be sloppy. Sprinkle flour on top.
• Gently knead it into a soft ball adding more flour if needed to prevent sticking, but try not to go overboard with flour - we are trying to keep the dough moist and soft. Form a dough 'sausage' and separate it into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and keep them covered until ready to shape. Roll each ball out to about 6".
• Bake each pita for 2 minutes on one side, flip with a soft spatula, and bake 1 more minute. You don't want to overbake or brown the pitas.
• Keep cooked pitas on a plate lined with a napkin and covered with a towel to keep soft.

Notes

• Einkorn wheat is naturally more fragile than other varieties of wheat. That's why I keep these pitas relatively small.
• The pitas don't puff if they get a wrinkle when you put them on a cooking surface, but they are still delicious.
• I learned that I prefer using a cast iron skillet for oven baking. I tried using a ridged pizza stone, but it's a bit more tricky, even though I do like the lines it creates on pitas. Just work with what you have, a smooth pizza stone would work well if you don't have a cast iron pan, it heats evenly helping pitas puff up properly.
• You can add whole ground einkorn to this recipe; I have made pitas with 1.5 cups whole einkorn and 1 cup all-purpose einkorn before, they turn out more brittle but still work. I would reduce fermenting time if you are using whole einkorn, it sours lightning fast!

Einkorn Pitas with Dry Yeast

Print Recipe

Einkorn Pitas with Dry Yeast

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Author: Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 packet dry yeast
• 2.5 cups all-purpose einkorn flour I use Jovial brand einkorn
• 1 teasoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

• Whisk water and dry yeast together, and leave for a few minutes to dissolve.
• Add sifted einkorn flour and salt. Start mixing with a spoon until it becomes too hard to do (chunks of dough forming).
• Add olive oil, and knead with your hand for a couple of minutes, until the dough is smooth. Stop kneading once the dough starts to feel sticky. Cover, and leave at room temperature for an hour.
• When ready to bake, place a cast iron skillet or a pizza stone in the oven, and turn it on to preheat to 450ºF.
• Using a soft spatula, turn the dough onto a well floured work surface; the dough will be sloppy. Sprinkle flour on top.
• Gently knead it into a soft ball adding more flour if needed to prevent sticking, but try not to go overboard with - we are trying to keep the dough moist and soft. Form a dough 'sausage' and separate it into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and keep them covered until ready to shape. Roll each ball out to about 6".
• Bake each pita for 2 minutes on one side, flip with a soft spatula, and bake 1 more minute. You don't want to overbake or brown the pitas.
• Keep cooked pitas on a plate lined with a napkin and covered with a towel to keep soft.