How to Handle Fillo Pastry (Phyllo Dough)
Bring to room temperature for two hours prior to using., Clean a work surface., Remove the fillo pastry from the refrigerator., Cover the pastry sheets or leaves with another folded tea towel., Begin working with the fillo pastry., Work quickly.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Bring to room temperature for two hours prior to using.
Pastry not given a chance to come to room temperature can break from being brittle.
For fresh fillo pastry, remove it from the fridge but leave in its original packaging.
Leave to it at room temperature.
For frozen fillo pastry, read the instructions for thawing and use. -
Step 2: Clean a work surface.
Lay down a clean tea towel and fold it over.
Get another two tea towels and put to one side. , Usually it comes wrapped in a roll inside a plastic cover and inside a protective box.
Take it out of the box and plastic cover and open out the pastry sheets or leaves on the tea towel folded on the clean work surface. , Dampen the third tea towel; wring it out so that there is no liquid present, just a damp cloth.
Place this over the top of the folded tea towel sitting on the pastry sheets or leaves.
This will prevent air from reaching the pastry leaves and drying them out while you're creating your culinary masterpiece. , Remove only one sheet at a time, recovering the other sheets with the tea towel pile.
Fillo pastry tends to dry out quickly, especially with kitchen heat on it. , If you have to cut pastry to size or in particular shapes, cut every sheet to be used and then return all pieces, except for the one being worked on, to the tea towel pile.
Handle delicately.
This pastry can tear with ease.
Keep your hands cool and dry when working with fillo pastry. -
Step 3: Remove the fillo pastry from the refrigerator.
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Step 4: Cover the pastry sheets or leaves with another folded tea towel.
-
Step 5: Begin working with the fillo pastry.
-
Step 6: Work quickly.
Detailed Guide
Pastry not given a chance to come to room temperature can break from being brittle.
For fresh fillo pastry, remove it from the fridge but leave in its original packaging.
Leave to it at room temperature.
For frozen fillo pastry, read the instructions for thawing and use.
Lay down a clean tea towel and fold it over.
Get another two tea towels and put to one side. , Usually it comes wrapped in a roll inside a plastic cover and inside a protective box.
Take it out of the box and plastic cover and open out the pastry sheets or leaves on the tea towel folded on the clean work surface. , Dampen the third tea towel; wring it out so that there is no liquid present, just a damp cloth.
Place this over the top of the folded tea towel sitting on the pastry sheets or leaves.
This will prevent air from reaching the pastry leaves and drying them out while you're creating your culinary masterpiece. , Remove only one sheet at a time, recovering the other sheets with the tea towel pile.
Fillo pastry tends to dry out quickly, especially with kitchen heat on it. , If you have to cut pastry to size or in particular shapes, cut every sheet to be used and then return all pieces, except for the one being worked on, to the tea towel pile.
Handle delicately.
This pastry can tear with ease.
Keep your hands cool and dry when working with fillo pastry.
About the Author
Richard Lopez
Specializes in breaking down complex creative arts topics into simple steps.
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