Homemade Phyllo Dough
These thin sheets of dough are layered to create flaky crusts for sweet and savory pies or pastries. Brush each with butter or olive oil to yield a light and crispy crust adding texture and flavor to dishes like Greek Spanakopita and baklava. With this recipe, you can make a 9x13 pan of Spanakopita, baklava, or other dish using phyllo sheets. These 12 homemade sheets equal 24 or so store-bought phyllo sheets. If your recipe calls for 1 package of phyllo dough, you can use this recipe and will likely have 4 extras for incidentals.
Servings: 12 sheets
Ingredients
- 400 g (3⅓ cups) bread flour, plus more for work surface
- 6 g (1 tsp) salt
- 100 ml (~½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or lemon juice
- 175-300 ml (¾-1¼ cups) warm water (~100˚F/38˚C)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour and salt. Whisk or stir until combined. With the dough hook on low speed, pour in olive oil, vinegar, and 175 ml (¾ cup) of warm water.TIP: You can stir the ingredients by hand in a bowl and knead by hand on a floured work surface
- Increase the speed to medium and allow the flour to soak in the liquid. Add more water, 1 tbsp at a time, if flour remains in the bottom of the bowl or the dough is crumbly.
- Knead for 10 minutes. The dough should be tacky, not sticky, and should pull away from the bowl as it kneads.
- Mound the dough ball in the bottom of the bowl. Oil or spray the dough with cooking spray to keep it moist. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and allow the dough to rest for 1-2 hours giving time for gluten development.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a work surface. Divide it into 12 equal pieces (weighing 58-59 g each = 698 g). Roll each piece into a ball. Cover the balls and set them aside.
- Tear off 14 sheets of wax paper or parchment paper about the size of each rolled out phyllo sheet (~17x12 inches).TIP: As you roll and stack phyllo sheets, it's helpful to place them on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. The stacked phyllo is heavy and a sturdy cookie sheet keeps them contained and allows you to move them around the kitchen as you work.
- Flour well a work surface. Use the palm of your hand to push out the dough ball roughly into a square or rectangle. Avoid using your fingers to prevent thin weak areas that can cause tears.TIP: Keep the work surface well-floured, if not the dough will crinkle, fold, and bunch up as you roll it out.
- Use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball as thin as you can get it (at least a 17x12 oval or rectangle). Rotate and flip the dough as you roll. Keep the work surface well-floured. The dough should be as thin as possible; it should be thin enough to read words on a piece of paper underneath it.
- After rolling the dough to create a phyllo sheet, flour it well on both sides and place it on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper and cover with another sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Continue rolling the remaining dough balls and stacking them between parchment or wax paper until you have 12 phyllo sheets.
- You can use the sheets immediately in your dish. To store, roll the wrapped parchment/wax paper stack of phyllo sheets and place them sealed in a gallon size (or large) ziptop bag. You can divide the stack in half due to bulk and store in 2 separate bags, if needed.
Video
Notes
Storing Tips
-Store phyllo sheets completely sealed in plastic, each separated by wax or parchment paper, to maintain softness and prevent stickiness.
-Store fresh phyllo in a sealed bag or container in the fridge up to a week. Store fresh phyllo in a sealed bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months and use as your recipe directs.
- If frozen, allow phyllo to thaw in the fridge overnight keeping it completely sealed until ready to use in a dish (meaning all your ingredients are ready to layer with the phyllo).
Phyllo Usage Tips
-When using phyllo in a dish, keep phyllo sheets completely covered only uncovering them to remove a sheet. Air exposure dries out the sheets. A damp towel on top maintains moisture.
-Brush oil or melted butter all over the top of each sheet when using. The fat adds moisture to prevent the sheets from drying out and creates the desired crust and flake expected in a baked phyllo.