Nigella Seed Pita Breads
Our Meat Free Monday meal this week was Falafel burgers with Nigella Seed Pita Breads and a warm butternut squash salad.
I prepared the Falafel Burgers on Sunday night so all I had to do on Monday was make the dough for the pitas, which were proving on my kitchen counter whilst typing up the recipe. I used Paul Hollywood’s recipe but doubled it in the hope they will turn out a success and then freeze half for another day.
Nigella Seeds
The addition of Nigella seeds in this recipe appealed to me. I’ve heard this seed referred to as the seed of blessing, as it is considered to be one of the greatest healing herbs of all times. Nigella seeds are also known as Kalonji (India) or Charnushka (America) and are often mistaken for black onion, black cumin and black caraway seed. Nigella seeds are hard and crunchy with a flavour like toasted onions and oregano. If you cannot find Nigella seeds they can be replaced with black onion seeds.
In India they are dry roasted and used on flatbreads like naan and they are particularly good with potatoes and root vegetables. They are also one of the five spices that make up panch poran, a spice mixture from Bengal.
The Nigella seed is a powerful seed, packed with many beneficial properties (you can read more detail about its numerous healing properties in the link here) :
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Aid digestion
- Antihistamine
- Strong antioxidant
- Regulate metabolism
- Balance insulin levels
- Control cholesterol
- Improve body circulation,
- Promote healthy liver function
- Relieve nasal congestion
- Reduce blood pressure
- Anti-asthmatic
Now, if that’s not enough reason to have us all sprinkling it over our morning breakfast cereal I don’t know what is!
Why don’t we hear more about this wonder seed?
Nigella Seed Pita Breads
In a bowl or a food mixer (I used a mixer), mix together the flour, yeast, nigella seeds and salt. Add the olive oil and then the water little by little, you may not need to add all of it so go slowly. Mix until until all the flour comes away from the sides.
Lightly oil your work surface and turn out you dough and knead for 5-10mins. I kneaded mine in the mixer for around 5 minutes then turned out onto an oiled surface and kneaded for a further 2 or 3 minutes. The dough should become smooth and not sticky.
Once a smooth dough is achieved, place into a clean, oiled bowl. Spray with some more oil and place cling film lightly over the top and leave to prove until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 250C (475F) and place a baking tray or stone in the oven. Once the dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a work surface dusted with flour and knock back by folding it over inwards over and over until all the air has been knocked out.
Split the dough into 8-12 balls and roll each ball into an oval shape about 3-5mm thickness.
Remove the hot tray from the oven, dust with flour and place the pita breads on top. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until they turn a nice golden colour. Once cooked remove from oven, cover with a clean tea towel and let cool.
- 500 g strong white flour I used half strong bread flour and half 00 flour
- 1 tsp yeast
- 40 g Nigella seeds
- 320 ml water
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 tsp olive oil
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In a bowl or a food mixer, like I used, mix together the flour, yeast, nigella seeds and salt.
-
Add the olive oil and then the water little by little, you may not need to add all of it so go slowly.
-
Mix until until all the flour comes away from the sides.
-
Lightly oil your work surface and turn out you dough and knead for 5-10mins. I kneaded mine in the mixer for around 5 minutes then turned out onto an oiled surface and kneaded for a further 2 or 3 minutes.
-
The dough should become smooth and not sticky.
-
Once a smooth dough is achieved, place into a clean, oiled bowl.
-
Spray with some more oil and place cling film lightly over the top and leave to prove until doubled in size.
-
Preheat oven to 250C (475F) and place a baking tray or stone in the oven.
-
Once the dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a work surface dusted with flour.
-
Knock it back by folding it over inwards over and over until all the air has been knocked out.
-
Split the dough into 8-12 balls and roll each ball into an oval shape about 3-5mm thickness.
-
Remove the hot tray from the oven, dust with flour and place the pita breads on top
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Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until they turn a nice golden colour.
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Once cooked remove from oven, cover with a clean tea towel and let cool.
I followed Paul Hollywoods pitta bread recipeand doubled it. Half for dinner and half for the freezer.
Mouth watering recipe, healthy as well as delicious.