How to Work with Phyllo Dough: Pro Tips (2024)

FAQs

How to Work with Phyllo Dough: Pro Tips? ›

Lay a damp (NOT wet) kitchen towel over the phyllo sheets while you are putting together your recipe. Make sure the towel is just slightly damp, enough to give the phyllo dough a little moisture so it doesn't dry out. Once you take a sheet off the stack, lay the towel back over the unused dough.

Working layer by layer takes time; keep the rest of the dough tightly wrapped so that it doesn't dry out in the process. Plastic wrap is fine, but a clean, barely damp kitchen towel works best. It will keep the sheets together and pliable, instead of crinkly and brittle.

Typically, phyllo dishes should have a finished thickness of 3 to 10 sheets per layer. (A one-pound box of phyllo contains about 20 sheets.) Tip: Phyllo pastries can often be very brittle when baked. We recommend using a serrated knife to cut the finished dish to prevent all of the filling from squishing out.

Heat, humidity and some fillings may cause phyllo to become soggy. Serve baked pastries and pies warm or at room temperature.

There are two key elements to promoting the extensibility necessary in the dough: adding vinegar to the dough, which weakens some of the gluten bonding, making it less elastic; and ample resting. Of course, it takes practice, just like working with any kind of dough.

Filo can be quite hard to work with, as it can tear easily or become dry. When practising this technique it is necessary to cover the unused filo sheets with a damp cloth.

Brush your filo layers with butter

of butter, so prepare, cook, and melt a good measure before brushing. And butter comes in handy too if your filo starts breaking a little.

For filo pastry, glaze with melted butter or a neutral oil. Cooking pastry at the right temperature is vitally important; too cool and the butter will melt before the pastry becomes firm causing it to collapse, too hot and the pastry may burn before the filling is cooked.

Does it make any difference ? Milk makes it wet, oil will fry it, and egg will make hard and glossy. Phyllo should be covered in butter.

Good to know:

Filo pastry can be bought frozen (defrost for ~ 1 hr before use) or in the fridge section, ready to be used straight away. It's super thin and can dry easily once it's removed from it's packaging, so work quickly or use a damp kitchen towel to keep it covered and supple.

How do you properly use filo for baking? ›

Lay a damp (NOT wet) kitchen towel over the phyllo sheets while you are putting together your recipe. Make sure the towel is just slightly damp, enough to give the phyllo dough a little moisture so it doesn't dry out. Once you take a sheet off the stack, lay the towel back over the unused dough.

The sheets are always layered with oil or butter, which creates the crispy, flaky texture when baked.

Bring your dough to room temperature.

This step will loosen up the dough and make it easier to shape. If it's in plastic from the grocery store (or freezer, you champ!) take it out of the plastic and move it to an oiled mixing bowl. Cover the bowl and set in a warm place for at least 30 minutes.