Beet pita bread gets its striking rosy-red color from blended beet. Yeast, warm water, olive oil and flour come together to create soft flatbreads that are perfect for loading up with your favourite fillings. Then fill them with cream cheese, salmon and rocket leaves for a colourful, savoury combination.
These beet pitas are especially good for brunch, lunch, appetizers, light dinners or a relaxed weekend spread.
What Is Beet Pita Bread?
Traditional pita is generally made from a simple yeast dough containing flour, water, salt, and a leavening agent. Depending on the region and recipe, it can be baked at high temperatures or cooked using other methods. This beet version takes the familiar flatbread idea and gives it a colorful twist. Instead of keeping the dough plain, cooked and blended beet is incorporated directly into it. The result is a naturally colored dough with a subtle earthy flavor.
Pro Tips for the Best Beet Pita Bread
- The water should feel comfortably warm rather than steaming hot. Water that is too hot can interfere with the yeast and leave you with dough that refuses to rise properly.
- Nobody wants unexpected beet chunks hiding inside the dough. Blend the cooked beet thoroughly so it incorporates evenly and gives the dough a consistent colour and texture.
- The dough may feel slightly sticky while you're working with it, but adding excessive flour can make the finished pita dense. Use only enough flour to make the dough manageable.
- Cook the pitas with enough room to turn them comfortably. Overcrowding can make it harder to control the cooking and may result in unevenly cooked bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Beet Pita Bread Taste Strongly of Beet?
The beet contributes a mild earthy flavor, but the bread also contains flour, yeast, olive oil and salt, so the overall flavour remains balanced. The salmon, cream cheese and rocket also add their own strong flavours when the pita is served.
Can I Freeze Beet Pita Bread?
Yes, cooked pita bread can be frozen for later use. Separate individual pitas with baking paper if you want to make them easier to remove one at a time. When you're ready to eat them, thaw them and warm them gently in a pan or oven.
What Can I Serve With Beet Pita Bread?
You could serve the pitas alongside dips, roasted vegetables, salads, or grilled foods. For a lighter meal, fill them with salad ingredients and a protein of your choice.
How Do I Stop the Pitas From Becoming Dry?
Avoid cooking them for much longer than necessary. Once both sides are cooked and have developed some colour, remove the pita from the pan. Keeping the cooked pitas covered with a clean towel also helps them retain moisture.
How to Store Any Leftovers
Place them in an airtight container or resealable food bag and keep them at room temperature if you plan to eat them fairly soon. For longer storage, refrigerate them in a sealed container.
Ingredients
How to Make Beet Pita Bread
;Resize,width=712;)
Add the warm water to a large mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar and dry yeast. Mix in the flour, olive oil, salt, and beet into the bowl to form a dough. Cover the bowl and leave to rise for two hours.
Add the warm water to a large mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar and dry yeast. Mix in the flour, olive oil, salt, and beet into the bowl to form a dough. Cover the bowl and leave to rise for two hours.
;Resize,width=712;)
Once the dough has risen, divide it into eight pieces, shape into a ball, and let it rise for another 20 minutes.
Once the dough has risen, divide it into eight pieces, shape into a ball, and let it rise for another 20 minutes.
;Resize,width=712;)
After the second rise, roll it out into a flat round. Heat a pan over medium heat and cook it on both sides.
After the second rise, roll it out into a flat round. Heat a pan over medium heat and cook it on both sides.
;Resize,width=712;)
Stack the pitas together as you keep cooking them.
Stack the pitas together as you keep cooking them.
;Resize,width=712;)
Once the pitas are ready, spread them with cream cheese and add salmon and rocket leaves. Enjoy!
Once the pitas are ready, spread them with cream cheese and add salmon and rocket leaves. Enjoy!
;Resize,width=767;)
