Phyllo Dough Recipe

You've seen us use phyllo dough in lots of our recipes. And the most loved ones on the blog are our Turkish borek and our baklava recipe. Sure, it's easy to just buy it from the store, but what about making it at home? 

Many people think learning how to make phyllo dough sheets is too tough, but we're here to prove that's not true. With our simple, step-by-step guide, you'll see how doable it is. 

What Is Phyllo Dough?

Phyllo dough is also known as filo dough, phyllo pastry, filo pastry or baklava dough. It is a simple yet unique ingredient widely used in baking. You can easily find it at the freezer section of supermarkets. Athens Foods, Fillo Factory, Apollo and Jus-Rol (UK) are the most famous filo brands.

The word 'phyllo' or 'filo' is derived from the Greek word, which means 'leaf', and it perfectly describes how thin the leaf-like layers are.

Phyllo dough is a staple in many types of cuisines, but it's particularly famous in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. 

It's basically made from a mixture of flour, salt and water. The variations of it might have olive oil, vinegar and egg. It's then skillfully rolled or stretched into paper-thin sheets. These sheets, when used in baking, create deliciously light, flaky, and crisp textures.

From sweet desserts like baklava to savory dishes like the famous Greek spinach and cheese pie called spanakopita or Turkish spinach and cheese borek, phyllo dough has a crucial role. 

Layers of phyllo give these traditional dishes their signature flaky and crunchy exterior. And you can always get creative about the fillings.

So, if you enjoy phyllo recipes and love a bit of a baking challenge, give this homemade phyllo dough recipe a try!

Phyllo Dough vs Puff Pastry

Are puff pastry and phyllo dough the same? 

No, they are not! Some phyllo dough brands use the name phyllo pastry (or filo pastry) on their package. So phyllo dough and puff pastry might look similar. But they're actually quite different.

Phyllo dough is a thin, light pastry that you layer or fold to make dishes like baklava or spanakopita. It's usually brushed with oil or melted butter between the layers, which helps it cook up to be crispy and flaky.

On the other hand, puff pastry is a rich, buttery dough. It's made by folding dough and butter together over and over. When it's baked, the water in the butter turns into steam and puffs up the dough, creating many tender, flaky layers.

So phyllo dough can not be used as a substitute for puff pastry or vice versa. 

Ingredients

In making homemade phyllo dough, each ingredient has a specific role to ensure you get that perfect thin and pliable pastry. Here are the key ingredients:

1. Egg: This is an optional ingredient, but including an egg can make your dough firmer and easier to work with. If you prefer an egg-free version, you can just increase the amount of water ( 3 tablespoon of water for one medium egg).
2. Water: Use it at room temperature. 
3. Vinegar: We use apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar or white wine vinegar works fine too. It helps the filo sheets get flaky when baked.
4. Salt: Use fine salt.
5. Flour: Use all-purpose flour creates a dough that's strong enough to be rolled out very thin without tearing, but also tender enough that your baked goods will have a pleasant texture. White bread flour works great too.
6. Cornstarch: It is not mixed into the dough but used when rolling out your fresh phyllo sheets. It prevents the thin layers from sticking to each other. 
7. Oil: We use light olive oil or sun flower oil. It is brushed onto the circle dough layers as you stack and roll them out. This helps each layer to separate nicely. Thanks to oil, you get nice, super thin phyllo pastry sheets that won't tear. 

Step-By-Step Instructions

Now that we've covered what phyllo dough is and what ingredients are in it, let's dive into the step-by-step process of making your own homemade phyllo dough sheets. 

Make the Dough:

In a large bowl, combine egg, water, your choice of vinegar, and fine salt. Mix them together until everything is well combined. Now, add in your all-purpose flour. Start stirring the mixture with your hand until everything combines.

Knead and Rest The Dough:

Once your dough is formed, it's time to knead. You can do this right in your mixing bowl or on a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth.

Then, shape it into a ball, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes, ideally an hour. This resting time lets the gluten in the dough relax, making it easier to roll out later.

Portion the Dough:

After the dough has rested, roll it into a log shape and cut it vertically into two. Then, roll each half again into a log shape and cut each into 16 equal pieces.

You should end up with 32 dough pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and cover them to prevent drying out.

Roll the Dough into Small Circles:

Dust your work surface with cornstarch. Place a dough ball on the surface, gently flatten it with your hand, then sprinkle cornstarch on top of it.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a small circle, about 4 inches / 10 cm in diameter. Cover each completed circle to prevent drying out as you work on the rest.

Roll the Dough into Larger Circles:

Prepare two pieces of baking paper cut to the size of the bottom of a non-stick pan. Put a small dough circle on one of the baking paper pieces. Brush both sides with oil. Then put three more dough circles, brushing oil between each layer.

Make sure to oil the top too. Put the second piece of baking paper on the top. Press gently on the stack a few times to secure the layers together, then roll out the stack into a larger circle the same size as your baking paper.

Partially Cook the Dough:

Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Place your rolled-out sheets of phyllo dough (still between the baking papers) in the pan and cook each side for about 15 seconds.

Repeat this process one more time. You're not trying to fully cook the dough here, just heat it enough to make the layers easier to separate.

Separate the Layers:

Remove the heated dough from the pan and start separating the layers while they're still warm. Cover them immediately after separating to keep them from drying out. The filo sheets are ready to use. 

Storage

Proper storage is key to keep your homemade phyllo dough fresh. If you're not going to use your phyllo dough right away, here's how to store it:

1. Fridge Storage: Roll up the phyllo sheets in parchment paper. Place them in a plastic bag and then pop them in the fridge. They'll stay fresh for about a week.
2. Freezer Storage: If you need to store them for a longer time, you can freeze them. Just like fridge storage, wrap the phyllo sheets in parchment paper and put them in a resealable plastic bag. In the freezer, they can last up to 3 months.

Our Helpful Tips

• Patience is key: Making thin phyllo sheets takes some time. Don't rush it, and take breaks if needed.
• Cover the dough: Always cover the dough balls and rolled-out sheets with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to stop them from drying out.
• Use enough cornstarch: Dust your work surface and dough with cornstarch. It stops the dough from sticking.
• Roll out evenly: Try to roll out your dough as evenly as possible. It helps the sheets cook evenly.
• Separate while warm: After partially cooking the stack of filo sheets in the pan, separate them while they're still warm. It's harder when they cool down.
• Store properly: If not using immediately, store your sheets properly. Keep them in the fridge or freezer.

Traditional Method

While the method we've previously explained is our preferred one, it's worth noting that there's another way to make phyllo dough. 

This is the classic method, often used by locals in Greece and Turkey. It's a bit more hands-on, but you might want to give it a try if you want to experience a more authentic process of making phyllo dough.  

1. Preparing the Dough: As in the method above, you'll start by making the dough and dividing it into portions. Roll these portions into small circles as explained earlier.
2. Creating a Stack: Dust your work surface with cornstarch. Now create a stack of four small dough circles, dusting cornstarch between each layer and on top of the stack. This prevents the layers from sticking to each other.
3. Rolling the Stack: With your stack ready, it's time to roll it out until it's about double in size.
4. Separating and Re-Stacking Layers: After rolling, separate each layer carefully. Sprinkle cornstarch on each separated layer and stack them back together again. 
5. Rolling Thin: Now, roll out the dough stack again, this time until it's paper thin. Make sure to turn the dough after every two or three moves. Be gentle to avoid tearing the thin layers.
6. Final Separation and Storage: After achieving the desired thinness, separate the layers one final time. If you plan on using the dough immediately, go ahead. If not, lightly dust the layers with cornstarch before stacking them again. Place this final stack on a piece of parchment paper, roll it up, and put it in a plastic bag for fridge storage.

Rolling The Dough Out With A Pasta Maker

If rolling out dough by hand seems a bit too labor-intensive, you can use a pasta maker to roll out your phyllo dough! It won't necessarily save time, but definitely saves you some elbow grease.

Here's how you can do it: Start by preparing your dough as described in the recipe. Cut it into small pieces, and then feed each piece through your pasta maker on its widest setting.

Fold the dough in half and feed it through the pasta maker again. Repeat this process a few times until your dough becomes smooth.

After that, you can start to reduce the thickness setting on your pasta maker and continue feeding the dough through until you get to the desired thinness for your phyllo dough.

Remember to keep the dough that you're not currently working with covered to prevent it from drying out. And dust each sheet with cornstarch or flour after rolling it out to prevent sticking.

Related: Homemade Pasta Without A Machine

What To Make with Filo

Filo sheets are incredibly versatile and can be used in a wide range of sweet and savory dishes. Here are some popular phyllo dough recipes you might want to try on special occasions:

Desserts: One of the most famous filo recipe is Baklava, a sweet pastry made by layering filo sheets with a mixture of chopped walnuts or pistachios and sweet syrup or honey.

Check out our Homemade Baklava Recipe to get an idea! You can even make easy Apple Strudel with Phyllo, where thin filo sheets are filled with spiced apple filling and then baked to crispy, golden perfection.

Savory Pies: They are used to make savory pies. You can fill these pies with anything from spinach and feta cheese (as in the Greek dish Spanakopita) to minced meat, chicken or potatoes (as in our Potato Borek).

Appetizers: Filo pastry sheets can also be used to make a variety of appetizers. Think about flaky Turkish sigara boregi and Greek spanakopita phyllo triangles or tiropita.

Check our list of Easy Phyllo Dough Recipes out if you want more ideas!

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