I started making pita at home because I got tired of buying those cardboard-like rounds at the store that barely resembled real Middle Eastern bread. After years of tweaking this recipe, I've landed on a version that gives you soft, pillowy pockets every single time. The secret is using a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, which adds nutty flavor without making the bread dense or heavy. Israeli pita differs from its thinner Greek cousin in that it's meant to be thick and substantial, perfect for stuffing with falafel, hummus, or grilled vegetables. The dough needs just enough kneading to develop gluten structure, but overworking it will give you tough bread. I've found that letting the dough rest for at least an hour makes all the difference in getting that characteristic puff when the pitas hit the hot oven. The key technique here is rolling the dough to exactly the right thickness. Too thin and they won't puff properly. Too thick and they'll be doughy in the center. I aim for about quarter-inch thickness, and I always bake them on a preheated pizza stone or heavy baking sheet. The initial blast of high heat creates the steam that forms those perfect pockets. These pitas freeze beautifully, so I often make a double batch on Sunday and have fresh bread all week. They're incredible warm from the oven with just a drizzle of olive oil and za'atar, or you can slice them open and stuff them with your favorite fillings. They also make excellent chips when cut into triangles and toasted until crispy.