Pasta machine to roll out pita breads

[barry]

I just made my usual pita recipe at 90 ounces of dough, scaled at the normal
3 1/2 ounces.

I had been wondering about using a pasta machine to roll the dough out, ever
since John mentioned it some time ago. I normally use a rolling pin to do
this chore.

I made my usual 25-27 pitas, and made 5 of them in the middle of the process
using the pasta machine to roll them out. My un-scientific observation is
that the psta machine pitas didn't puff up as much as the rolling pin pitas.
In fact, several of the pasta pitas didn't pop at all. The batch before and
the batch after the pasta pitas popped normally, and looked like misshaped
basketballs.

My conclusion is that either this doesn't work or I did something wrong.

Barry

[KingOfGlop]

Post by barry
I just made my usual pita recipe at 90 ounces of dough, scaled at the normal
3 1/2 ounces.
I had been wondering about using a pasta machine to roll the dough out, ever
since John mentioned it some time ago. I normally use a rolling pin to do
this chore.
I made my usual 25-27 pitas, and made 5 of them in the middle of the process
using the pasta machine to roll them out. My un-scientific observation is
that the pasta machine pitas didn't puff up as much as the rolling pin pitas.
In fact, several of the pasta pitas didn't pop at all. The batch before and
the batch after the pasta pitas popped normally, and looked like misshaped
basketballs.
My conclusion is that either this doesn't work or I did something wrong.
Barry

Strange. I'll run a batch 1/2 pasta machine and 1/2 hand rolling see
what happens. I make smaller pitta - about 50 gm each, Just my personal
taste.

I'll report later.

Love

John

[barry]

Post by KingOfGlop
Strange. I'll run a batch 1/2 pasta machine and 1/2 hand rolling see
what happens. I make smaller pitta - about 50 gm each, Just my personal
taste.
I'll report later.
Love
John

I wondered at the time if I was making them too big. I was scaling at 3 1/2
ounces, about double what you make.

Barry

[KingOfGlop]

Post by barry

Post by KingOfGlop
Strange. I'll run a batch 1/2 pasta machine and 1/2 hand rolling see
what happens. I make smaller pitta - about 50 gm each, Just my personal
taste.
I'll report later.
Love
John

I wondered at the time if I was making them too big. I was scaling at 3 1/2
ounces, about double what you make.
Barry

Another thought has begun to consider the possibility of crossing my
mind. I have made pitta with the pasta machine for years and I'd
forgotten that, when I first made them, I had to increase the final
proof time because the pasta machine compressses and degasses the dough
more thoroughly than hand rolling.

Love

John

[KingOfGlop]

The pix at

Loading Image...
Loading Image...

show a small batch of pitta scaled at 100 gm, approx the size you make
them, before and ater baking. The ones on the left were run through the
pasta machine, on the thickest setting, those on the right were rolled
by hand with a heavy, polyethylene pin.

The pitta are not as puffed as usual but I can see little diference
between the 2 sets.

I do find that I cannot guarantee a full puff with pitta of the size
show in the pix. I can guarantee the puff with 50 gm pitta rolled on
the second thickest setting.

I don't really know if this post will help but, faut de mieux, it's all
I can offer.

Love

John.

[barry]

Post by KingOfGlop
The pix at
http://i2.tinypic.com/20af3iv.jpg
http://i2.tinypic.com/20af5av.jpg
show a small batch of pitta scaled at 100 gm, approx the size you make
them, before and ater baking. The ones on the left were run through the
pasta machine, on the thickest setting, those on the right were rolled
by hand with a heavy, polyethylene pin.
The pitta are not as puffed as usual but I can see little diference
between the 2 sets.
I do find that I cannot guarantee a full puff with pitta of the size
show in the pix. I can guarantee the puff with 50 gm pitta rolled on
the second thickest setting.
I don't really know if this post will help but, faut de mieux, it's all
I can offer.
Love
John.

That's what's so much fun about bread baking, things don't always work.

I don't see any difference between the two sets. My "normal" pita is like
the fully blown-up ones. The pasta machine gave me pitas that looked like
the partials, or even worse. I'm convinced it's in my technique, possibly
using a too-thin setting or not letting things rise.

I made pitas last night and scaled at 3 ounces, which is about 80 grams
(versus 3 1/2 ounces, almost 100 grams.). Rolled by rolling pin until very
flat. Rose for 30 minutes. Baked 550 on stones for 3 minutes.

Back to normal, but the difference in thickness between the top and bottom
layers is a lot greater than it normally is with no or minimal rising.
Dunno why this is.

Guess this is still something to work on.

Barry