One of my favorite ingredients to buy in the frozen food aisle is phyllo dough. If you've worked with it before or have used it in cooking, it's a paper thin dough that is ideal when making tarts, pastries, and other sweet or savory dishes. I would call myself a pretty experienced baker, but I'll admit that I have yet to tackle the task of making phyllo dough. I've made puff pastry before, which is pretty similar, but it's just so convenient to buy phyllo dough, especially when you're pressed for time.
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Phyllo (also spelled filo), which means 'leaf' in Greek, is a super thin, unleavened sheet of dough that contains little fat. Phyllo dough has a long, ancient history most likely originating in Turkey. Food historians believe that since the people at that time were experienced at growing wheat to make flour, they would use it to create huge amounts of dough.
One of the ways they would use the dough was by stretching and rolling it out into paper-thin sheets to make filo. You might see phyllo dough used in many popular Greek or Middle Eastern dishes like baklava, spanakopita and börek.
These phyllo dough-based pastries are made by layering thin sheets of phyllo, brushing in between each layer with a coating of olive oil or melted butter. It might sound like a heavy and filling dough, but phyllo pastry is flaky, delicious and has a nice crisp to it. Phyllo dough is also vegan, so it's a great way to add a vegan dish to your table.
How Phyllo Dough is Made
Although frozen phyllo dough sheets and squares are convenient and readily available in the frozen aisle, homemade phyllo dough is possible to make at home.
If you've ever made filo yourself or learned how to make it from you grandmother, most phyllo dough is made with a few common ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, water, and a little olive oil and vinegar. The soft dough is formed into a ball and then small pieces are rolled out on a clean work surface using a rolling pin or if you're old school, a broom handle. Some chefs nowadays even use a pasta machine to achieve the paper-thin sheets of dough.
Once the dough is rolled out and you're ready to use the filo dough for pastries, fat (either melted butter or olive oil) is brushed on to each sheet of dough and layered to create a crisp, airy texture. Here is a simple recipe (pictures included!) for homemade phyllo dough to try right at home.
Working with Phyllo Dough
Since phyllo dough is commonly sold in the frozen food aisle, it's best to keep store-bought phyllo in the freezer, unless you're planning on using it right away. Defrost frozen filo gently in the refrigerator and not on the countertop since that can turn it gummy and cause the layers to stick together.
To prevent the phyllo from drying out, try to work with it quickly, keeping the other layers covered in plastic wrap or a damp towel while you're working. And no need to worry if a layer of phyllo dough rips - it's very forgiving and you can easily patch it up. Once it bakes, no one will even notice!
Here are some of our favorite phyllo dough recipes.
1. Fresh Fruit Phyllo Tartlets
Filled with a creamy, homemade vanilla pudding, these fresh fruit phyllo tartlets make a beautiful dessert. The delicate, flaky pastry dough is cut into rounds, layered with melted butter and placed in mini muffin tins. Make sure to use fresh fruit that's in season!
Get the recipe here.
2. Spinach & Olive Phyllo Cigars
These Mediterranean-inspired spinach & olive phyllo cigars are creamy and full of flavor. They make a great appetizer and require three layers of filo. There's need to worry about brushing each phyllo sheet with melted butter. One brush on top of the finished phyllo cigar is just enough!
Get the recipe here.
3. Phyllo Chicken Casserole
A hearty meal all in one casserole dish! Chicken, broccoli, and bacon are the main components of this phyllo chicken casserole and mixed into a creamy cheese sauce. You can go wrong with the crispy phyllo dough topping.
Get the recipe here.
4. Bacon and Eggs Phyllo Breakfast Pizza
Colorful and elegant, this bacon and eggs phyllo breakfast pizza is a meal fit for any time of the day. Instead of using pizza dough, about ten phyllo sheets are used for the base of this pizza. The best part about this recipe is the seasoned feta cheese spread!
Get the recipe here.
5. Nutella and Banana Phyllo Triangles
I think I could eat one of these Nutella and banana phyllo triangles for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert! Nutella and bananas are truly a match made in heaven and make a perfect snack to go along with coffee or tea.
Get the recipe here.
6. Greek Spinach Pie with Phyllo Dough
This spanakopita, or spinach pie, can be done as one giant dish using phyllo as a pie crust, or you can cut the phyllo dough into pieces and make triangles. Use a combination of butter and extra virgin olive oil to keep the dish light.
Get the recipe here.
This post was originally published on February 21, 2018.
