You can make these chips two ways, in a large ZipLok bag or a large bowl. I prefer to use a bowl. These are a great, healthy alternative to chips that are fried and you can spice them up any way you like or just leave them plain to dip into hummus. 3 regular-sized bags of 8" diameter pita bread will make enough chips to about fill a 1-gallon ZipLok bag. I advise you to make plenty as these go very quickly. INGREDIENTS: 1 bags of pita (pocket) bread - NOT flat bread 1/3 - 1/2 cup (scant) Olive oil Optional: 1-3 Tablespoons seasonings or to taste. I use 3 heaping tablespoons when making the Zatar chips. DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees, no hotter! 2. Cut pita bread rounds into desired size triangular pieces. If the pita bread is relatively thick, some people cut the rounds in half, then separate the halves (layers), then cut it into triangular pieces. 3. In a measuring cup, measure out your oil, mix in spices, stir will, test for taste, adjust as necessary. 3a. Fill a large ziplock bag (1 gallon bags are best) about half full with chips. Pour 1/2 the olive oil-spice mix into the bag over the chips, zip closed, and toss chips to coat well. If necessary, add more spices and toss again. Empty coated chips onto prepared cookie sheet (see step 5.) Repeat with remaining chips and oil. OR Preferred Method: 3b. Put all the pita bread triangles in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, measure out your oil, mix in spices, stir well, test for taste, adjust as necessary. Pour the olive oil-spice mix over the bread and stir for several minutes with a spatula to coat chips. Note: If making zatar chips (see MARK'S TIPS below) you will only need a very small amount of sumac - if you want to use it at all - about a 10:1 ratio of zatar seasoning to sumac. You may also want to include a pinch or two of citric acid powder for additional sourness and you might want to use more than 1 or 2 Tablespoons of the zatar seasoning - I use 3 heaping tablespoons and also salt and pepper to taste. Once you've mixed all the seasonings into the oil, taste it and adjust seasonings accordingly. You can always sprinkle on more seasonings and continue to toss - the spices don't necessarily have to be mixed in with the olive oil. 5. Line a baking/cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread chips out on the sheet. NOTE: You don't need the parchment paper, but it makes for a much easier transferring of chips to container and clean-up. Even better - use a Silpat (or equivalent) silicone sheet - available at Bed, Bath & Beyond. 6. Bake for about 13 minutes, stir chips around/turn over with spatula and continue to bake checking at 1-3 minute increments until desired crispness is reached. Depending on your oven, probably 20-30 minutes, and depending upon how many chips you have on your baking sheet. After you remove chips from oven, let them cool on the baking sheet and they will crisp up a little more from the residual heat. Resist the urge to over-bake them. They should not be dark brown, only partially brown with some light patches. 7. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container or ZipLok bag. MARK'S TIPS: I've been refining this recipe for quite a while. One thing I learned is that you want a lighter rather than a heavier coating of oil. You will probably have to toss the chips for several minutes to achieve a thin, even coating. Too much oil and you practically have to burn the chips to get them to crisp up. However, you will probably still have some chips that aren't as crisp as the others. Don't worry, they will last at least 2 weeks without going stale, but they probably won't be around that long, anyway. Ha! It may take you a couple of attempts to get the consistency and seasonings they way you want them. You can get 1/2-sheet pans (cookie sheets) at Sam's - they a little larger (13" x 18") than your standard cookie sheet. Be sure to measure your oven to see if it can accommodate a 1/2-sheet pan before you run out and buy one. These instructions are for Sweis's pita bread. The cheapest pita I've found is at Mediterranean Imports and Deli - see below. their pita is a much thinner variety than you can get at most other stores, which makes for great chips and you usually don't have to split it like you do the thicker varieties from most grocery stores. Most of the time I use pita bread from the Sweis Pita Bakery at 2115 N. May Ave - on the west side of the road just south of the NW 23rd St intersection - they have the best pita bread by far as well as other items you may need that I mention below and a variety of other Mediterranean specialty foods. I split their bread in half. For variety, look for pita bread in different flavors like onion or garlic or you can add ground, flaked onion or ground, flaked garlic or onion salt or garlic salt. If using the salted varieties, be careful not to make them too salty. Zatar (pronounced zah-tah by the Lebanese) seasoning is finely chopped thyme with sesame seeds - it is widely used in Lebanese dishes. You can sometimes find the ground variety, but I always use the finely chopped. You can get the zatar seasoning, sumac and citric acid at Mediterranean Imports and Deli, 5620 N. May Ave., Oklahoma City 73112 405-810-9494. If headed north on May, it's on the east side of the street shortly after you pass over the Northwest Expressway overpass. As soon as you come over the overpass, make an immediate right on NW 56th St. as you cannot make a right turn at the light - the corner is too sharp. If headed south on May, get in the left hand lane after you pass through the light that is just past the Barnes & Noble store as you will want to make a left hand turn at the next light which will be United Founders Blvd/NW 56th St. You can also find these items at Nunu's Mediterranean Cafe and Market on 3131 W. Memorial Rd, just 1/4 mile west of the N. May intersection and just past the Ole Mexican restaurant. Tell them I sent you - I used to cook there and Nunu Farhood is a member of St. Elijah's as are some of the people working there. Note: Nunu's also has a wide selection of spices in the deli including the the zatar and citric acid powder mentioned above and they carry Sweis pita bread, but sometimes run out. Sweis Brothers Bakery also has the spices - they bake their pita bread fresh on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you plan on making a lot of chips, do this: Go to Sam's and buy your favorite seasonings in bulk. For example I buy Tone's Canadian Steak Seasoning (28 oz.) and Durkee's Six Pepper Blend (22 oz.) for usually less than $5.00 per container. Then, I come home and put it in my coffee bean grinder and grind the coarse spices to a finer size. Any cheap coffee grinder will do - I have a DeLonghi that holds about a 1/2 cup at a time which is usually more than enough. Of course, depending on the variety of spice you use, you may or may not want or need to grind it. I also use the flaked, dried garlic from Tone's, but I grind it up (medium) for the chips in a pepper mill, as you can also do with any of the other spices - you don't necessarily need a coffee bean grinder. For garlic chips, do NOT use garlic powder as it is too fine and will burn and become bitter during the baking process. I use a little bit of Lawry's Garlic salt with parsley and a lot of ground, flaked garlic. If you plan on making a lot of hummus and or pita chips, it is probably a good idea to go to Sam's to get your olive oil as they have the best price, as usual. I use their brand, Member's Mark. As adapted by: Mark McGinness Oklahoma City Revision 20150720 Don't miss St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church's HUGE annual Mediterranean food festival every late October/ early November. Go mark your calendar now and listen to the radio and TV or check their website or call the Church directly for dates & times. Be sure to take the Church tour and see the exquisite Byzantine iconography. Many of the members make delicious desserts like this that are for sale in the "Culinary Cupboard," but they almost sell out the first day, so go early the first day of the festival for the best selection. http://www.stelijahokc.com On Facebook, search for "St. Elijah Annual Food Festival" http://www.antiochian.org http://www.ancientfaith.com 405-755-7804 SE corner of NW 150th and N. May Ave. And don't forget their sister church's festival every September: Greekfest at St. George Greek Orthodox Christian Church West side of N. Pennsylvania Ave. at NW 145th St. http://www.saintgeorgeokc.org/ http://greekfestokc.com/ http://www.goarch.org 405-751-1885 For great Mediterranean food like you get at the festival, eat at Nunu's Mediterranean Cafe and Market on westbound Memorial, 1/4 mile west of the May intersection. Nunu is a member of St. Elijah's as are most of the employees and I used to cook there - tell them I sent you. Warning - if you go during peak hours you'll have a good wait because the place is very popular. Saturdays are always busy and they are closed on Sunday. Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am-8pm, closed Sunday.