Makes 12

1 tablespoon sugar

1 ½ teaspoons active dried yeast

375ml warm water

500g plain flour or use bread flour

2 teaspoons salt

100g fine semolina

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing

Place the sugar and yeast in a small bowl and pour in about 75ml of the measured warm water. Leave in a warm place until frothy, about 5 minutes.

Sift the flour and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Add the semolina, oil and remaining water along with the frothy yeast mixture. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth. You can also knead by hand if no mixer, it’s very therapeutic.

Tip dough out of the bowl then lightly oil the bowl to prevent sticking during rising. Return dough to the bowl and turn over to oil the top surface of the dough.

Cover bowl well with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Tip dough out onto a lightly floured bench and knead for a further minute. Cut the dough into 12 even-sized pieces. Cover pieces with a tea towel to prevent them from drying out and again keeping everything warm.

Heat a heavy-based frying pan or flat plate over medium-high heat. Lightly brush with oil to prevent sticking.

Start by rolling a piece of dough into a thin round pita bread shape. Prick pita bread well with a fork then place in the hot pan or on the flat plate. Cook on each side until lightly browned. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

Stack breads on a clean tea towel, placing a small piece of baking paper between each.

Tips – your first pita bread will be the test to see if you have rolled the dough thin enough to give you the traditional pita bread shape.

Store any extra pita breads in the freezer – make sure they are well wrapped.