How to use filo pastry

Feeling unsure about where to start with filo? These frequently asked questions and five quick rules for using filo pastry will have you wielding flaky golden goodness with confidence! Scroll on to learn all about filo and get some great recipes too.

 

Filo pastry is a thin flaky pastry used in sweet and savoury pies and pastries. It originated in Turkey, but you’ll commonly find it used in Greek, Middle Eastern and Balkan cooking in classic dishes such as spanakopita, baklava and börek.

 

The name filo comes from the Greek word for leaf. You might also see it spelled “phyllo”. It’s made with a mixture of flour, salt, water, vinegar and oil, which is rolled into a dough then kneaded and stretched (traditionally by hand) until it’s almost transparent. This is a time-consuming process, but thankfully nowadays filo is easily available at the supermarket.

 

Filo is a very delicate pastry that should be handled carefully for the best results. Learn how easy it is to use so you can enjoy its flaky, golden goodness at home!

 

 

You can find either fresh or frozen filo pastry, and most good supermarkets now stock both. Fresh filo pastry should be used within 2-3 weeks, whereas frozen filo pastry will keep well for up to 3 months.

 

Yes, whether your filo is fresh or frozen, it must be brought to room temperature. If it’s still cold, you’ll have trouble unrolling it and separating the layers without breakage. 

 

Follow the instructions on the packaging for best results. For frozen filo, leave it out at room temperature for approximately four hours. Fresh filo should be taken out of the fridge at least two hours before using. 

 

It’s important that you don’t let your filo pastry dry out! This can happen in just a couple minutes, and your filo will crack and become unusable. To stop it drying out, keep it in its packaging until you’re ready to use it, and prepare all your other ingredients first so it’s out of its packaging for a minimal amount of time.

 

While you’re using the filo pastry, cover the stack with a sheet of baking paper or a clean, dry tea towel followed by a cool damp tea towel. Make sure the pastry is completely covered.

 

Not necessarily, but butter is used traditionally and creates beautifully golden and crisp layers. If you don’t want to use butter, you still need to brush the pastry with another form of fat to help your pastry cook properly. Here are some alternatives:

 

 

Reroll any leftover filo pastry, return to its plastic bag and seal it tightly. Refrigerate and use within one week. 

 

Unopened fresh filo pastry will usually last about two to three weeks in the fridge, check the best before date on the packaging. Frozen filo pastry will usually last about three months in the freezer.

 

 

This beautiful pie recipe uses filo pastry for the crust. Draping the pastry into the pan and then bulking up the base with extra folded pastry layers makes it easier to cut and serve your pie.

 

 

This simple scrunching technique is one of the easiest ways to add a pie crust to this curried fish pie.