On the list of daily disappointments, grocery store bread unfortunately ranks pretty high. Yes, there’s the occasional loaf from the bakery counter that makes solid garlic bread or croutons, but otherwise, the rest leaves much to be desired. Call me a carb snob, but I’ve taken to baking my own bread or stopping into the local bakery instead.
Pita bread is one such variety that I stopped buying altogether and began making at home. That’s because it’s one of the easiest breads to make from scratch and like other grocery store breads, I’ve never found a package that comes anywhere close to good. Last month, however, I threw a falafel party and overextended myself. I planned to make every single thing — including the dips and dessert — from scratch and quickly realized I was in over my head. So I took a cue from Ina Garten and decided to just go for store-bought pita despite knowing that it would be average.
Friends, what I discovered at Whole Foods was well above average. The bags of Angel Bakeries Pita I brought home surpassed all pita I’ve made myself. I’ve been buying the thick, pillowy soft bread on repeat ever since.
What’s So Great About Angel Bakeries Classic White Pita Bread?
Unlike other grocery store pita bread, Angel Bakeries Pita tastes homemade. That’s because rather than being baked with preservatives to remain shelf-stable like all other packaged breads, it’s flash frozen instead. My Whole Foods thaws the bags of four roughly six-inch pitas daily so what you’re buying is almost as fresh as if you had bought it warm from the bakery itself. This pita is also Israeli-style, which means it’s a lot thicker than other grocery store pita. Because it’s so fresh this added thickness equates to cloud-like softness. It’s pillowy, easy to split, and full of nooks and crannies inside.
This pita doesn’t contain preservatives, so it won’t last on the counter for days and days like other grocery store bread. If I am not eating the entire package in a day or two, I toss it in the freezer. Though I know refreezing can generally lessen quality, I haven’t found that to be the case here. I take one or two pitas out as needed and toss them straight from frozen in my toaster oven, loosely wrapped in foil, to thaw and warm in minutes.
What’s the Best Way to Use Angel Bakeries Classic White Pita Bread?
Given its thickness, this pita can be stuffed generously without fear of it breaking apart. Though I also just love tearing it apart and swiping it into hummus. Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy this bread:
