In a large bowl, combine the warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the instant yeast over the water and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
Add the flour, salt, and olive oil to the yeast mixture. Mix using a spatula until a rough dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If the dough sticks to your hands, rub them with a little olive oil. Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment on medium speed for about 5 minutes.
400 g plain white flour, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball (see section in blog post above about how to form dough balls).
Place the balls of dough on a floured baking tray and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let them rise for another 45 mins until roughly doubled in size.
Preheat a skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat.
Place one ball of dough on a floured surface and roll into a circle, roughly 20-25cm wide.
Transfer to the hot skillet and cook for about 2-3 minutes on one side, until it starts to puff up and brown spots appear on the bottom. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side.
Remove from the skillet and wrap the pitas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft and warm. Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.
If not using immediately, wrap in kitchen paper or kitchen towel and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the fridge or freezer.