Instructions: Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add any flavourings (such as polenta to make corn flavoured pita that are great as soft taco shells), then most of the warm water. Mix thoroughly taking great care not to make the dough too wet. To speed up the rising and ensure that the dough is not too moist you can scrape the unrisen dough out of the bowl onto a well floured board and knead for approximately 30 seconds, but it is not necessary. When fully mixed cover the dough with freezer wrap and place the bowl somewhere warm to rise, until double in size.

Tip the dough out onto a floured board and shape until smooth. Divide the dough evenly into 12 pieces and shape each into smooth round balls. Pita can be made larger or smaller just by dividing the dough into different numbers of pieces.

Flatten the balls of dough to about 3/4" thick, set aside on a lightly floured surface to rise to double in size (usually about 15-20 mins).

Heat a frying pan or electric frypan to a medium heat and lightly oil

(oil may not be needed in a good nonstick pan). Cook each muffin for 5-6 minutes each side, longer if very fat. They can then be split and slowly toasted or can be used as hamburger buns.

Note: muffins taste less floury if you brush off the flour, and dust with semolina before cooking. Vary the ingredients to make sweet and flavoured muffins.

Muffins use a very similar recipe to crumpets, except that muffins are better.

Starting with the normal dry ingredients to make a plain bread dough we can make delicious soft versatile pita bread, and English muffins.

The recipe makes 12 medium size pita or muffins, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

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