What to use instead of pita bread
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Wrap around a hot, juicy filling
A high-gluten, low-fat flatbread stays stretchy when warm and takes on meat juices without going straight through, which is the whole trick of a gyro.
Greek-style pocketless pita or lafaRan out
1 per pita
Thicker and softer, folds around a filling far better than a pocket pita. Brush it with oil and warm it 30 seconds a side or it stiffens.
Large flour tortillasRan out
1 ten-inch tortilla per pita
Thinner with no chew, so the filling dominates. Straight from the fridge it splits at the fold, and 20 seconds a side in a dry pan fixes that.
Lavash or markook sheetsRan out
1 large sheet per 2 pitas
Very thin, so it rolls tight and eats neatly. It dries into a cracker within minutes of coming out of the bag, so wrap and serve straight away.
NaanRan out
1 per pita
Richer and heavier, and it holds a wet filling without leaking. The yogurt and butter in it push the sandwich towards Indian, which fights a tzatziki.
Cassava or almond flour tortillasGluten-free
2 small per pita, steamed 30 seconds under a damp towel
Pliable only while warm and they crack at the fold once cool. Faintly sweet, and they cannot take as much weight, so build a smaller wrap.
What doesn't work: Corn tortillas. There is no gluten to stretch, so they crack across the fold under a heavy filling and the juices go through the middle within a minute. They are right for a taco and wrong for a rolled sandwich.
Scoop or crisp base for a thick dip
It has to be stiff enough to push through hummus without snapping and plain enough that it does not compete with what it is carrying.
Flour tortillas cut into wedges and bakedRan out
2 tortillas per pita, 190C for 10 min
Crisper and snappier with no puffed layers, so they break more often mid-scoop. Brush them with oil or they taste dusty.
Naan brushed with oil, cut and bakedRan out
1 naan per 2 pitas, 200C for 8 min
Bubblier and much richer, and it browns unevenly because of the sugar in the dough. Sturdy enough for the thickest dip.
Seed crackersGluten-free
6 large crackers per pita
No chew and a much more assertive flavour of its own, so it competes with a delicate dip and suits a plain labneh.
Cucumber spears, endive leaves or romaine heartsGluten-free
1 cucumber or 2 endives per pita
Cold, wet and crunchy. Water runs off them into the dip, so it loosens visibly after ten minutes on the table.
What doesn't work: Toasted sandwich bread. The outside goes hard while the inside stays spongy, so it takes on dip like a sponge and folds over halfway to your mouth. Fried stale sourdough works, but soft white bread does not.