Pita Pockets Stuffed With Falafel and Guacamole

Day6:  I have been itching to make my own Pita bread (with pockets). I didn't want do it by myself. So when my friend and her family visited, I tried to give this recipe a go. Somehow I feel that my friend's presence has a calming effect on my nerves, especially when I am trying something new.The last time she was here we made Eggless Chocolate Cupcake With Butter-cream frosting.Some pitas refused to rise, it could be because I didn't roll them right. Overall, I was happy with the results. Not excessively so but for the first try, it didn't disappoint.   Base recipe from The Fresh Loaf.

#6 on my Lust List: Exquisite Indian Sarees/Saris (Price range: $ - $$$$$$)

Simple or Extravagant, Embroidered or Embellished, Plain or Printed, Silk or Cotton, Sarees are stunning. With their timeless quality and infinite appeal they are in the Top 10 list of what I want. Check out the Costliest Silk Saree picture I posted ages ago. Just don't ask me how many silk worms were killed to make it. I don't know!

Now onto the recipe-
Ingredients:

• Chopped Lettuce Leaves

For the Pita:

• 3 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 
• 1-1/2 Tsp Salt
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 2-1/2 Tsp Active Dry Yeast
• 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 Cups Warm Water
• 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil or Butter

For the Pan-Fried Falafel:

• 1 Can Chick-peas, cleaned and drained
• a handful of Cilantro
• 1 Small Red Onion
• 2-3 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Tbsp Coriander Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tsp Chili Powder, optional
• a few grinds of Black Pepper
• 2-3 Tbsp All-purpose flour (or) Crumb of 1 Whole Wheat bread
• Salt as needed

For the Guacamole:

• 1 Recipe Guacamole, I omitted smashing the avocado

Procedure:

• In a bowl/Kitchenaid bowl, add the yeast, 2 Tbsp Flour and 2 Tbsp Honey.

• Pour 1-1/4 Cups Warm Water and stir. Let it sit undisturbed in a warm spot for 15 minutes.

• The yeast activates and makes the mixture frothy.

• Attack a paddle hook to the mixer and mix the remaining flour, salt, oil and the remaining 1/4 Cup of warm water if needed.

• Kneading the dough can be done by hands for 10 minutes. If kneading the dough by mixer, do it at low speed. Place the dough in a wide shallow bowl lightly coated with oil, spray the top of the dough with little oil, cover with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest for about 90 minutes. 

• The dough doubles in size. 

• Meanwhile, make the Falafel: Roughly process the cilantro, onion, chickpeas. Add the all-purpose flour, grated garlic, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt and grinds of black pepper.

• The mixture should be thick and should hold together when clumped together.

• Make small patties and lightly fry them in till they are browned.

• Gently move them to a plate and let them cool.

• Now deflate the dough that has doubled  and divide the dough into 8 even-sized balls. Let the balls rest for 20 minutes. Using a rolling pin roll the dough into 7" discs. The discs should be 1/4" thick. Keep them under a damp kitchen towel.

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Stick a pizza stone into the oven before preheating. This is to prevent the stone from cracking due to sudden temperature change. Once the oven is hot, place 2-3 pitas on the pizza stone and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes tops. Make sure the thickness is even or some Pitas may not rise. 

• Remove the Pitas from the stone and repeat with the remaining uncooked ones. 

• Make the Guacamole.

• Halve the pita bread and stuff them with 2-3 Falafel, a few lettuce leaves and about 2 Tbsp of Guacamole.

Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#15 
Enjoy!