eat make read

Sometimes I just want something simple. Oh, and easy. Easy is good. So this weekend as I was running around gathering ingredients to make homemade bitters (so much fun!), I decided to whip up a batch of pita chips. They turned out perfectly golden and crisp, with just the right amount of salt and perhaps a pinch of garlic to make things interesting.

Pita chips require little effort. I simply opened a bag of pitas—made fresh at one of our local shops, the smell was amazing—and split them in half or opened the pocket. Basically I had two flat circles, each with a rough side and a smooth side. I then cut pitas into bite-sized wedges. Next I divided the wedges among two pans, tossed them with some olive oil and sprinkled a little salt and garlic powder over them. Into the oven they went, and about 15 minutes later I had crispy pita chips! Well, actually a few turned out a little too crispy, but I know why! Some of the chips burned because I put them on the bottom rack in the oven. Lesson learned: it’s important to keep them on the upper rack. All of them that were housed up there turned out lovely, golden and crisp, I promise.

So yeah, even without a handful of overly bronzed (ok, burnt) chips, I had two heaping bowl of chips, perfect for dipping in hummus or red pepper dip. I used garlic, but think about all the tasty things you could sprinkle over them: cinnamon, curry, onion powder… the sky’s the limit!

pita chips
makes a big bowl of chips

6 pitas
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder divided

Preheat oven to 350°F

1
Split the pitas in two, so you have two circles for each pita. Cut the pitas into bite-sized wedges.
2
Divide the pitas into two 9×12 baking pans, spreading the wedges evenly.
3
Pour 1/4 cup olive oil over each pan, tossing to coat and making sure that all chips are coated.
4
Sprinkle salt and garlic over each pan and give it one more toss.
5
Place the pans on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, stir the chips and bake for 5-8 more minutes, or until the chips are golden and crisp.