Lebanese Pita Bread (Khubz Arabi)
خبز عربي khubz ʿarabiSay it: khubz AH-rah-bee
Khubz, the Lebanese pita bread, is the daily bread of the Levant: a soft, pale round that balloons in the heat of the oven into two thin layers, then collapses into a pocket that holds everything from hummus to grilled chicken. It is bought by the stack every morning, eaten warm with olive oil and za'atar, or torn by hand to scoop up mezze. Slightly chewy, with a faint sweetness and blistered spots, it is the quiet foundation of the Lebanese table.
Lebanese Pita Bread (Khubz Arabi)
خبز عربي, khubz ʿarabi
Pronounced khubz AH-rah-bee
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Dough
To finish
Method
Whisk the flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, pour in the lukewarm water and the olive oil, and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until it is smooth, silky and springs back slowly when pressed with a finger. Add a spoonful of flour only if it stays sticky.
Lightly oil the bowl, turn the dough in it to coat, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size and puffy with air bubbles.
Punch the dough down, divide it into 8 equal pieces (about 105 g each) and roll each into a tight ball. Cover and let them rest for 20 minutes, so the gluten relaxes and the rounds roll out easily.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 500°F (260°C) with a baking stone or an inverted heavy baking sheet inside for at least 30 minutes. The oven must be truly hot for the breads to puff.
Roll each ball on a floured surface into a round about 7 inches (18 cm) across and 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. If a round shrinks back, wait a few minutes and finish rolling.
Bake two or three rounds at a time directly on the hot stone for 3-5 minutes, until each one balloons into a hollow pillow and picks up pale golden blistered spots. Watch closely; they go from puffed to crisp very quickly.
As each bread comes out, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and stack the next one on top, so the steam keeps them soft. Press a warm bread gently with the palm of your hand to flatten it before serving.
Regional variant: Saj Bread (Khubz Saj / Markouk)
Use the same dough but divide it into 12 pieces and stretch each one very thin, almost translucent, by hand or with a rolling pin. Cook them one at a time on a very hot convex saj griddle or a dry cast-iron skillet for 30-40 seconds a side, until freckled with dark spots and pliable rather than puffed; stack under a towel so they stay soft and foldable.
Cook's notes
- A scorching stone and a thin, even round are what make the pocket form; roll thicker than 1/4 inch (6 mm) and the bread will stay flat.
- Cool any breads you are not eating right away completely, then freeze them — they refresh perfectly in a dry hot pan.
- If your kitchen is cold, let the dough rise in an oven switched off but with the light on.
Serve with
Hummus, labneh and za'atar with olive oil; or torn alongside grilled meat, falafel and fattoush.
Make ahead and storage
Keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for 2 days, or freeze up to 2 months; reheat wrapped in foil in a moderate oven or briefly in a dry hot pan.
