7 Facts About Filo Pastry

How much do you know about this paper-thin pastry?

                                      Use filo pastry to make these Mushroom Mozza Triangles

1  What is it?
Filo pastry (also fillo or phyllo) is a paper-thin pastry sheet made from flour and water. The sheets are rolled or stretched by hand. They are very fragile, drying out quickly and becoming crumbly and unusable when exposed to air.

2  Flake out
Filo sheets must be used one at a time, keeping the rest covered in wax paper and a damp towel. The pastry sheets are also brushed with melted butter or oil to make layers of sheets adhere, keep the filling in place, and prevent the sheets from drying out. When baked or fried, the filo sheets form crisp and flaky layers.

3  Baklava love!
Filo pastry is widely used in Mediterranean and Balkan cuisines to make a variety of dishes, both sweet and savory. It’s used to make the popular spanakopita (feta cheese and spinach pies) of Greece and the honey-drenched, nut-filled baklava of Turkey.

(RELATED: Pinoy spanakopita: Spinach and Kesong Puti Parcels)

4  Where to use
In contemporary cooking, filo makes for an excellent wrapper for vegetables, meat, and fish fillets. It is also often used to make finger food, such as filled parcels, bundles, and cups.

(Click to see more phyllo recipes)

5  Where to buy
Filo pastry is available in select stores such as Santis Delicatessen and S&R Membership Shopping.

6 Be careful!
When using, unwrap only the required number of sheets. Roll up the remaining sheets and cover with wax paper then plastic wrap to keep air out.

7  Freeze!
Store in the refrigerator or freezer.



Photography by Patrick Martires| Styling by Rachelle Santos

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