This $5 pita bread from the supermarket is better than homemade

Unfortunately, supermarket bread ranks pretty high on the list of daily disappointments. Yes, there’s the occasional bakery bread that’s good for solid garlic bread or croutons, but otherwise the rest leaves a lot to be desired. Call me a carb snob, but I bake my own bread these days or go to the local bakery instead.

Pita bread is one such variety that I no longer buy but instead bake at home. That’s because it’s one of the easiest breads to make and, like other supermarket breads, I’ve never found a package that’s even remotely good. Last month, however, I hosted a falafel party and got over myself. I planned to make everything myself – including the dips and dessert – and quickly realized I was in over my head. So I took a leaf out of Ina Garten’s book and decided to just buy store-bought pita bread, even though I knew it would be average.

Friends, what I discovered at Whole Foods was way above average. The bags of Angel Bakeries pita I took home outperformed any pita I’ve made myself. I’ve been buying the thick, pillowy-soft bread ever since.

What’s so great about Angel Bakeries’ classic white pita bread?

Unlike other supermarket pita bread, Angel Bakeries pita tastes like homemade. That’s because instead of being baked with preservatives to keep it fresh like all other packaged breads, it’s flash frozen. My Whole Foods thaws the bags of four six-inch pitas daily, so what you buy is almost as fresh as if you bought it warm from the bakery. This pita is also Israeli-style, which means it’s much thicker than other supermarket pita bread. Because it’s so fresh, that extra thickness creates a cloud-like softness. It’s pillowy soft, easy to split, and full of nooks and crannies inside.

This pita bread has no preservatives, so it won’t last on the counter for days like other grocery store bread. If I don’t eat the whole package in a day or two, I throw it in the freezer. While I know refreezing in general can reduce quality, I haven’t found that to be the case here. I take out a pita or two as needed and throw them straight from frozen into my toaster oven, loosely wrapped in foil, where they thaw and warm through in a few minutes.

What is the best way to use Angel Bakeries Classic White Pita Bread?

Because of its thickness, this pita bread can be filled generously without falling apart. But I also love just tearing it apart and stirring it into hummus. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this bread:

Find it in stores: Angel Bakeries Classic White Pita Bread, $4.99 for 4 pitas at Whole Foods

What’s your favorite way to use pita? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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