Whole Wheat Sourdough Pita

A fully whole-grain sourdough pita with a soft texture, reliable puff, and the depth of flavor you only get when sourdough fermentation meets high-quality whole wheat flour.

📝 Ingredients

• 66 g whole wheat flour
• 66 g water
• 7 g ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration
• 632 g whole wheat flour
• 437 g water 1
• 84 g water 2
• 14 g fine sea salt
• 139 g ripe levain (from above)
• 14 g extra-virgin olive oil

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Prepare the levain (Day One, 9:00 p.m.): Mix the levain ingredients in a jar and leave covered at 74–76°F (23–24°C) to ripen overnight. Alternatively, use your ripe sourdough starter first thing in the morning — just keep in mind that if your starter contains any white flour, the final pita won’t be 100% whole grain.
2. 2Mix (Day Two, 9:00 a.m.): With a mechanical mixer: Add the levain, salt, and water 1 to the flour; mix at low speed for 1 to 2 minutes until absorbed. Increase to medium and mix for 5 minutes. Rest 5 minutes. Mix at medium for 5 more minutes, slowly adding water 2. Once smooth, add olive oil and mix at low speed for 1 minute until absorbed. By hand: Add the flour, levain, salt, and water 1 to a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with wet hands or a dough whisk. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes using either the slap-and-fold technique or folds in the bowl until smooth and less shaggy. Cover and rest 5 minutes. Add a splash of water 2 and knead for 6 to 7 more minutes, adding a little more water 2 as it gets absorbed — be cautious not to add too much at once, or the dough will break apart. Once smooth and cohesive, transfer to a bulk fermentation container and cover.
3. 3Bulk fermentation (9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 3 hours): At 74–76°F (23–24°C), give the dough 2 sets of stretch and folds at 30-minute intervals. After the second set, let the dough rest undisturbed for the remainder of bulk fermentation.
4. 4Divide and shape (12:30 p.m.): Flour a half sheet pan with white flour. Lightly flour your work surface and the top of the dough, then scrape it out. Divide into ten 120g pieces. Shape each into a tight ball: pat down, fold in the sides, flip, and drag against the surface to build tension. Flip and pinch the seam closed. Place on the prepared pan with a few inches between each ball.
5. 5Proof (1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., 1 hour): Cover the baking sheet and set aside to proof. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 550°F (290°C), or as hot as it will go, with a rack in the middle and a baking steel or stone on top.
6. 6Bake (2:00 p.m.): The dough is ready when it has increased about 30% in volume, feels soft to the touch, and just barely passes the poke test. Prepare a large lidded container lined with a kitchen towel, a small bowl of flour, and a lightly floured pizza peel. For each pita: drop a dough ball into the flour bowl, flip, transfer to your work surface, pat down, flip, and pat again. Roll to 7 inches in diameter and about ⅛ inch thick — use light pressure to avoid compressing the dough. Transfer to the peel and slide into the oven. Bake 1 to 2 minutes until it puffs, flip with a fish spatula, and bake 1 more minute. Transfer to the towel-lined container and cover. Repeat with remaining pieces.