Stuffed Pita MAKES: 6 large pitas TIME: 20 minutes with premade dough This half-open bread with the filling partially enclosed and baked right into the dough is a street treat found throughout the eastern Mediterranean, ideal for lunch or a snack. Or cut the hearty...

Sourdough Bread MAKES: 3 or 4 baguettes, 1 boule, or 12 to 16 rolls TIME: At least 48 hours the first time, roughly 24 hours thereafter, largely unattended Some bakers make ultra-sour sourdough bread without any yeast, but I prefer this method, which uses a bit of...

Scones MAKES: 10 or more scones TIME: 20 minutes Real scones are just ultra-rich biscuits, with cream as the primary ingredient. Sure, you can use milk, but then they won't be nearly as flaky and light. Substitute something from 12 Additions to Virtually Any Quick...

Quick Whole Wheat and Molasses Bread MAKES: 1 loaf TIME: About 11/4 hours, largely unattended The basic, quintessential, not-too-sweet quick bread quick, simple, hearty, and rich despite the fact that it contains no eggs or butter. Although you can use it for...

Pita MAKES: 6 to 12 pitas, depending on size TIME: At least 2 hours, somewhat unattended You can buy pita (also called pide), of course, though it's tough to find the real thing: the chewy, slightly puffed rounds that are the standard flatbread of the eastern...

Olive Oil Salt Bread MAKES: 4 to 6 servings TIME: About 45 minutes, largely unattended There is no quicker, hassle-free way to get fresh warm bread on the table, especially if you make the griddled variation. Rich and flaky with olive oil, this biscuitlike dough is...

Muffins, Infinite Ways MAKES: 8 large or 12 medium muffins TIME: About 40 minutes The only real difference between muffins and the preceding quick breads is the pans you bake them in. But those little cups allow for a lot more potential variation, depending on what...

Irish Soda Bread MAKES: 1 round loaf TIME: About 45 minutes Of all quick breads, this classic recipe from Ireland is the most like yeasted bread, with a fine crumb and slightly sour flavor. It's particularly good made with half white and half whole wheat flour, and...

Flaky Indian-Style Flatbread Stuffed with Potato Aloo Paratha MAKES: 8 to 12 TIME: At least 1 hour I adore this bread and was fortunate enough to learn how to make it from an expert, the great Indian cook and cookbook writer Julie Sahni. This is essentially her...