Pita bread

Heat a dry frying pan over medium-high heat and warm the pita for about 30 seconds on each side, pressing it gently with a spatula. For a softer result, wrap it in foil and heat it in a 180 °C oven for 5–10 minutes.

Warm it first so it becomes pliable, then slice a small opening along one edge rather than cutting it completely in half. Spoon in moist fillings such as hummus or yoghurt sauce before adding drier ingredients; don’t overfill the pocket.

Keep pita in a sealed bag at room temperature and use it before it dries out. To freeze it, separate the breads with small pieces of baking paper, seal them in a freezer bag and thaw only what you need; warm briefly in a pan or oven.

Use it for falafel or shawarma pockets, tear it into pieces for dipping into hummus, or cut it into triangles and bake until crisp for fattoush or a snack. Brush the triangles lightly with oil and bake at 180 °C for about 8–12 minutes, turning once.

Choose soft, flexible breads with an intact edge if you want to fill the pocket; very dry or cracked ones are better toasted and served for dipping. Check the ingredient list if you need to avoid particular ingredients, as recipes can include different flours, oils or raising agents.

Yes, but the shape and texture differ: pita is thicker and often has a pocket, while a tortilla is thin and folds around its filling. Warm pita and fill the pocket; for a wrap-style meal, use a soft pita and fold it carefully around a modest amount of filling.

Yes. Whole-wheat pita bread has 6.1 g of fibre per 100 g, compared with 3.06 g in white pita bread; the pita on this page has 3.7 g per 100 g.