Flatbread Around The World: Greek Pita

Western civilization can thank ancient Greece for so many wonderful facets of modern society, like democracy, theatre and... pita. The undisputed champion of flatbread is, par excellence, the pita — baked at high temperatures (sometimes topping 450°F), pitas puff up dramatically in the oven, causing the dough to separate into pillowy pockets, perfect for stuffing with all kinds of Greek treats, like hummus and falafel, or souvlaki. Or made into pita chips...no really, however you need to get your pita fix is fine. In the far-flung world of flatbread, anything goes.

Today the humble pita bread is a staple in many of the world's Middle Eastern as well as Mediterranean cuisines, and in the form of round pocket bread, pita bread is also eaten all throughout North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The origin of the word "pita" goes back to Greek, where it literally means either pie or cake.

Pita is packed with nutritional value too — though is high in calories (one large pita (60 grams) comes with 165 calories), there are also doses of iron and calcium in such a serving of pita bread. The distinct downside of pita bread is the enormous content of sodium. The same serving size of 60 grams subjects your body to 322 milligrams of salt.

Want to know more about how flatbread is made in other countries? Click here to see 11 Incredible Flatbreads From Around the World