You’re going to love this Cypriot pita bread recipe! These soft, golden pita pockets bake right in the oven, so they’re even easier to make than your traditional wrap pita. Perfectly fluffy and just waiting to be filled with grilled meats, halloumi, or any of your favourite stuffings!
Although very similar to my Greek pita bread recipe, this gets done a lot faster because you can bake multiple at a time! With a few simple steps, you’ll have warm, delicious pitas ready in no time.
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Why you will love this recipe
- Soft and Fluffy Pockets: Trust me, these pita pockets are so soft and airy, you won’t believe the texture! They’re perfect for stuffing with all your favourite fillings.
- Quick and Easy Baking: Since these bake right in the oven, you can cook several at once, making them much faster than pan-frying, like with normal pitas.
- Shaped the Cypriot Way: These pitas have the traditional nice long oval shape, giving them an authentic look and feel that’s unique to Cypriot-style bread.
How to Make These Pites - Short video
Want to see exactly how it’s done? Watch my step-by-step video tutorial on making these Cypriot pita pockets!
Don’t forget to like, comment, and share the video with friends who love homemade bread!
Ingredients
Let’s take a closer look at what makes this recipe special! For precise quantities, be sure to check out the recipe card below.
- Bread Flour: This high-protein flour is key to achieving the perfect chew and structure in these pitas.
- Greek Yogurt: Adds a lovely softness and subtle tang that really enhances each bite.
- Olive Oil: A little olive oil keeps the dough moist while adding richness to the flavour.
- Dry Active Yeast: This ingredient helps your pitas rise beautifully, creating light and airy pockets.
- Warm Water: Essential for activating the yeast and making the dough light and fluffy.
- Salt and Sugar: Sugar feeds the yeast, while salt balances the flavour perfectly.
Preparation
Before you dive in, make sure you have everything organized. Trust me, it’ll make things smoother!
- Measure Ingredients: Gather each ingredient and have extra flour on hand for rolling.
- Ready Your Work Surface: Find a clean, flat space for kneading and shaping your dough.
- Warm Environment: Yeast loves warmth, so keep your kitchen cozy. You can even use your oven with the light on (but oven off) as a warm environment for the dough to rise.
- Grab a Towel and Cling Film: Use these to cover the dough during its first rise, second prove and rest periods.
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
Follow these simple steps using the images with their corresponding steps! This recipe makes approximately 12 pitas. If you need extra help, please watch my video tutorial.
- Activate the Yeast: In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, sugar, and 150 grams of flour. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes until bubbly and foamy.
- Mix in the Rest: Add Greek yogurt, olive oil, and salt, to the yeast mixture, stirring until smooth.
- Add Remaining Flour: Gradually mix in the rest of the flour until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the Dough: Transfer to a floured surface, kneading for 5-10 minutes until you have an elastic, soft and smooth dough.
NOTE: If the dough feels too sticky, add more flour as needed until smooth and elastic. Up to 100 grams of extra flour is normal, as all high-protein flours are different. Its easier to add flour than to add more liquids.
- First Rise: Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic cling wrap, and let it rise (to double in size) in a warm spot for 1.5-2 hours.
- Shape and Second Rise: Deflate dough, divide into 100-gram pieces of dough, shape each into a nice ball, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Then, let them rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll Out the Pita bread: Use a rolling pin to shape each piece into an oval roughly 12 cm wide by 22 cm long. This is a traditional cypriot pita shape. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let them rest for another 15 minutes.
- Bake/ Cooking process: Preheat your oven to 225 degrees Celsius (fan forced). Place pitas side-on on trays, baking 3 at a time, at the bottom of the oven for about 3-4 minutes until puffed. This positioning encourages even puffing.
NOTE: It’s crucial to have flour on the surface when rolling the dough to prevent sticking, as this can affect the pita’s ability to puff. Always have a little extra flour and, if needed, a small brush to remove any excess before baking.
Top Tips
Here are some handy tips for making the perfect Cypriot pita bread every time:
- Don’t Skip the Resting Stages: These allow the dough to relax, making it easier to shape and puff.
- Oven Safety: With the oven at a high temperature, keep your face and head back when opening the oven door to avoid intense heat.
- Use Two Trays: Rotate trays to speed up baking by placing a new tray in as you remove a baked one.
- Make Sure Your Oven is Preheated: A fully preheated oven is crucial for an even, full puff in the pitas.
- Cover Cooked Pitas: Keep baked pitas soft by covering them immediately with a clean tea towel.
Serving suggestions
These soft, fluffy pita pocket breads are incredibly versatile and can make any meal feel extra special. Try them with these delicious ideas:
- Traditional Fillings: Load them up with Cypriot favourites like pork souvlaki or sheftalies.
- Stuffed with Your Favourites: Fill with tender chicken gyros, lamb gyros, pork souvla (Cypriot kontosouvli style), or grilled veggies—so many options!
- Add Some Sauce: My creamy tzatziki sauce pairs perfectly inside.
- Serve with Dips: Ideal for dipping into taramasalata, hummus, tirokafteri, melitzanosalata, or any of your favourite spreads.
- Fresh Salad Fillings: Fill with cucumber, tomato, onion, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon, or even a traditional Greek salad!
- Mezze Platter: Include them on a mezze spread alongside olives, roasted peppers, Greek yogurt, and other tasty dips.
Storage
This recipe makes roughly 12 soft, fluffy Cypriot pocket pitas. If you have leftovers or want to prepare them in advance, store the pita bread in an airtight bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, simply reheat in the oven, pop them in a toasty machine, or warm them up on the charcoal barbeque for a couple of minutes to bring back that fresh, soft texture.
Freezing
Allow the pita bread to cool completely before freezing. Once cooled, place a sheet of parchment or baking paper between each pita to prevent sticking, then store them in a zip-lock bag, pressing out as much air as possible. They’ll keep well frozen for up to 3 months.
FAQ
Greek pita is round and used to wrap food, like gyros. Cypriot pita, on the other hand, is often oval-shaped, forms a pocket when baked, and is sliced open to fill with food instead of being used as a wrap.
es, you can! All-purpose flour will work, though the pitas may be slightly less chewy and airy than with bread flour. You may need to add more flour to balance the dough’s hydration, as all-purpose flour absorbs liquid differently.
Cover them with a clean tea towel right after baking to retain moisture and keep them soft.
📖 Recipe
Cypriot Pita Bread Recipe (Pocket Style)
Ingredients
Yeast mixture
- 150 grams Bread flour high protein
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 250 ml Water lukewarm
- 1 packet Dry active yeast (7grams)
Dough
- 500 grams Bread flour high protein
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 50 grams Olive oil
- 250 grams Greek yoghurt room temperature
Additional
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil for proofing bowl
- Extra flour for kneading and rolling
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients from the yeast mixture: flour, sugar, water and yeast. Stir until smooth, then let the mixture rest for 10-15 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the olive oil, salt, and Greek yogurt from the dough ingredients to the activated yeast mixture. Stir well to combine.
- Add Remaining Flour Gradually: Gradually add the remaining flour from the dough ingredients, mixing as you go. Adjust the amount of flour as needed until the dough forms a slightly sticky texture.
- Knead the Dough: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is soft, smooth, slightly sticky, and elastic (all flour is different, so it’s perfectly normal to add more).
- First Rise: Lightly oil a clean bowl with a small amount of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat with oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Shape the Dough: Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Gently deflate the dough, then divide it into pieces weighing a maximum of 100 grams each. Shape each piece into a ball, cover with a towel, and let them rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll Out the Pitas: On a a well-floured surface, press each dough ball into a circular shape with your hands. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into an oval roughly 12 cm wide by 22 cm long, or roll into circles if preferred.
- Prepare for Baking: Place the rolled pitas on a tray lined with baking paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let them rest for another 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 225°C fan-forced.
- Bake the Pitas: Place your trays in the preheated oven and bake for about 3-4 minutes, until they puff up. For best results, place the pitas in the oven side-on, as they tend to puff up better this way. Only bake 3 at a time.
- Keep Warm: Remove the baked pitas from the oven and cover with a clean kitchen towel or foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining uncooked pitas.
Video
Notes
- Adjusting Flour: If the dough feels too sticky while kneading, add more flour as needed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Using up to 100 grams of extra flour is normal, as high-protein flours vary in absorption.
- Rolling and Puffing: It is crucial to have flour on the surface when rolling the dough to prevent it from sticking, as this can affect the pita’s ability to puff. Use a light dusting of flour and, if needed, a small brush to remove any excess flour before baking.
- Oven Safety: The oven will be very hot at this temperature. Keep your face and head back when opening the door to add or remove trays to avoid the intense heat.
- Yield: This recipe makes approximately 12 pitas, each weighing between 90-100 grams.
Hanife says
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Nikolopaa says
No problems Hanife 🙂
Michael says
Hey Niko.
I'm making them right now. Prebake risi g. But, is there a step missing?
Between steps 9 and 10.
Baking time?
Thanks!
Nikolopaa says
Hey Michael! Thanks heaps for catching that! It’s in the blog post above and the video but I missed it here, I do appologise. I’ve corrected it now, your a champion!! ❤️ Glad the video helped you out in the meantime! Appreciate your support! 👍
Michael says
3 to 4 minutes... in the video 😄👍🤌
Nikolopaa says
Glad you found it! 🙂
ElizabethDag says
Hi Niko
I have been all of your recipes and I love them all. No fuss ingredients, just simple ingredients that we have at home. All turn out perfect. Keep it up and the videos are amazing. Hugs from Elizabeth in Sweden
Nikolopaa says
Thank you so much for your kind words Elizabeth, it really means a lot! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes and videos, and it’s awesome to hear they’re working out perfectly for you 🙏