Alternative names | Pide, Khubz |
---|---|
Type | Flatbread |
Region or state | Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East[1] |
Main ingredients | Wheat flour, water, yeast, salt |
Pita (Greek: πίτα, romanized: pita /ˈpɪtə/ or US: /ˈpiːtə/)[2] or pitta (British English) is a family of yeast-leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the Mediterranean, Levant, and neighboring areas. It includes the widely known version with an interior pocket, also known as Arabic bread (Arabic: خبز عربي; khubz ʿArabī). In the United Kingdom, Greek bread is used for pocket versions such as the Greek pita, and are used for barbecues as a souvlaki wrap.[3][4][5][1][6][7][8] The Western name pita may sometimes be used to refer to various other types of flatbreads that have different names in their local languages, such as numerous styles of Arab khubz (bread).[9]
The best-known bread of the region is khubz arabi (or, simply, khubz), a round, flat, slightly leavened loaf about one-fourth inch thick and with a pocket inside. It is made in three different sizes: large (eight or more inches in diameter), medium (six to eight inches), and small (about five inches). In America, where it has become very popular, this bread is known as pita. A pocketless version is also available. In some Arab communities khubz arabi is called kmaj (from the Persian kumaj), while in others, kmaj refers only to the pocketless type.
Pita bread originated in the Middle East and is also known as Arabic, Syrian, and pocket bread.