Why it works: Flour and butter are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 12% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 124,287 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Saudi Arabian Pita Bread
12 roundsIngredients
Directions
Make the dough
In large mixer bowl soften yeast in warm water.
Add 2 cups flour, shortening and salt.
Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl.
Beat 3 minutes at high speed.
Stir in as much remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon.
Turn onto lightly floured work surface.
Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (5 minutes).
Cover, let rest in a warm place about 15 minutes.
Shape the rounds
Divide into 12 equal portions.
Roll each between floured hands into a very smooth ball.
Cover with a damp cloth, let rest 10 minutes.
Using fingers, gently flatten balls.
Cover, let rest 10 minutes (keep dough pieces covered until ready to use).
On well floured surface lightly roll one piece of dough at a time into a circle 7 inches in diameter, turning dough over once.
Do not stretch, puncture or crease dough (work with enough flour so dough does not stick).
Bake and serve
Place on baking sheet. Bake rounds, 2 at a time, in a 450 F oven about 3 minutes or until dough is puffed and softly set.
Turn over with a spatula, bake about 2 more minutes, or until dough is light brown.
Repeat with remaining dough, baking one batch before rolling the next batch.
To serve, slice bread crosswise, fill pocket with desired filling. Makes 12 rounds.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 4 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Flour + buttertop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together124,287 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Flour and butter barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 124,287 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Flour
- Forms the gluten network that gives the dough structure and elasticity for a pocket.
- Yeast
- Ferments the dough, producing gas that makes the rounds puff up.
- Shortening
- Adds fat that tenderizes the dough and keeps it soft.
- Salt
- Controls yeast activity and strengthens the dough's flavor and structure.
The step that matters
Baking the rounds at high heat. The dough must puff quickly in a very hot oven so steam forms a pocket; if it is stretched, punctured or creased first, the pocket will not form properly.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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