Working with Phyllo Dough
Phyllo is less about baking skill and more about managing moisture. Once you learn how to handle the paper-thin sheets without tearing them, you can build everything from dense nut pastries to delicate fruit bundles.
Don't fight the dry air.
Thaw your dough in the refrigerator overnight, not on the counter, to prevent the edges from sticking together from condensation. Have all your fillings and melted butter measured and ready before you even open the package.
- Natural bristle pastry brush
- Clean kitchen towel
- Sharp paring knife
- Half-sheet baking pan
What goes in.
- 1 packagefrozen phyllo dough, thawed
- 1 cupunsalted butter, melted and clarified
The importance of total coverage
The fat is what separates the sheets during the high heat of the oven. If you miss a spot, the layers will fuse together into a thick, chewy piece of pasta-like dough instead of crisping.
The method.
Set up your workspace
Unroll the sheets onto a flat surface. Immediately cover the stack with a slightly damp—not dripping—kitchen towel. Keep this towel over the sheets you aren't currently using.
Layering
Lay down one sheet, brush it lightly but thoroughly with butter, then place the next sheet directly on top. Repeat this until you have the desired number of layers, usually six to eight for a base.
Trimming and filling
Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to cut the stacked sheets to your desired size. Add your filling sparingly; if it's too wet, it will dissolve the bottom layers before the pastry can crisp.
Baking
Bake in a preheated oven until the pastry is a deep, uniform gold. If it turns pale brown too quickly, the center layers may still be raw, so lower the heat and extend the time if necessary.
Other turns to take.
Cigar rolls
Cut the stack into long, narrow rectangles, place a line of filling near the edge, fold the sides in, and roll tightly like a tube.
Phyllo cups
Press small squares into a muffin tin, buttering the layers as you stack them, to create individual containers for creams or fruit.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the dough tears, don't worry. Just patch it with a scrap piece of dough and butter it; the layers will fuse during baking and hide the repair.
Clarified butter works better than whole butter because the milk solids in whole butter tend to burn before the pastry achieves the deep color you want.
Cut your pastry into shapes *before* baking if you want clean, sharp edges that don't shatter when you serve them.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I refreeze the leftover sheets?
It is rarely successful. The moisture loss usually makes the remaining sheets crack and crumble the next time you try to unroll them.
How do I know if my butter is too hot?
If the butter is too hot, it will melt the dough as you brush it, causing it to tear immediately. Let the butter cool to room temperature before using.
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