How to make Phyllo/Filo dough

How to make Phyllo/Filo dough by DK on Mar 26, 2010

I have been getting so many requests for making Puff Pastry and Filo/Phyllo dough. But for some reason, readers have been missing the posts where I have shown how to make these pastries. Hence, after getting tired by adding the links in reply to so many of the emails, I thought, what is the best thing I can do which will help me continue to be my lazy self ;). Hence this - a separate post on how to make the filo. The picture that I have reused is of the classic Apple Strudel where I first made these phyllo dough from scratch. Its not as tough as I earlier imagined it to be! Few precautions and you are good to go.

Prep time: 2 to 4 hours
Yields: Makes dough that's 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long,

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

Method

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.

Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. My Notes: Since I made it on a weekend, I had time to kill, hence I allowed the dough to stand for close to 2 hours. The dough turned out to be amazing to work with! 3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle

4. My Notes: To repeat what I mentioned previously : Flour well and roll it out as much as you can.

Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time.

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Recipe Reference

recipe from “kaffeehaus – exquisite desserts from the classic cafés of vienna, budapest and prague” by rick rodgers

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3 Member Reviews

By Rose on Sep 8, 2013

Thank you soooo much. This is the dough I remember making with my Mother. She used to make it "by eye and feel" I have never been able to get the right proportions. It turned out PERFECTLY. My sister-in-law will be writhing tomorrow. She always made the strudel for family get-togethers. She always used store-bought filo. It never really turned out right. Thanks again for this recipe. I now have a fool proof recipe that will win over the family stomachs, if nothing else.

By Erika on Jun 25, 2011

I use diferent fillings:
- minced meat around 300-350 gramov,1 large onion, 2 cloves of garlic, salt and pepper, cream or milk 2 tbsp., fresh herbs.
- cheese - mix goat cheese and something contrast, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, if needed, 1/2-1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, 1 teaspoon Hungarian peppers
- mashrooms filling and so on

Read All 3 Reviews →

34 Comments

By Mar on Oct 18, 2015

I hace wanted to make phyllo dough for a long time thank you for the recipe.How can I store it to use it later? Can I freeze it?

By april on Sep 27, 2015

I am very happy with your recipe!love to sctratch bake!very easy to read and understand!

By Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie) | Cat's Kitchen on Mar 18, 2015

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[...] How to make Filo/Phyllo dough Recipe | Phyllo Pastry … – Mar 26, 2010 · I have been getting so many requests for making Puff Pastry and Filo/Phyllo dough. But for some reason, readers have been missing the posts where …… [...]

By Brenda Gonatas on Jun 23, 2014

I cann't seem to make another comment. So let me try this again. The pasta roller works real well with this recipe and I just put double layers on the bottom and top with strips. No problem . Love it .

By Brenda Gonatas on Jun 23, 2014

OK , the pasta roller works great. Just lay it in strips and make it a number 6 on the kitchen aid roller. I put a double layer on the bottom and a double layer on the top. So far so good, made it a lot easier. For those who don't have the strength to roll these out, this works just fine.

By Brenda Gonatas on Jun 22, 2014

going to try this tomarrow for my greens pie. Make it sound so easy, I will let you know. If this works out well I will be doing this often. The dough is exspensive and this would be great . Now I do have a pasta roller and will let you know if that does well. Strips are fine for cheese pies and for making triangle pies. Can only hope.

By Vera on Apr 25, 2014

Oh WOW - it is fantastic - it was so simple to make thanks to your detailed instructions. I am so looking forward to making more. I will definately not buy ready made again.

By pacman on Jan 27, 2014

i dont think i have the talent to undertake such an assiduous task :lol: 8-O :-| .................i'll just buy some from the supermarket :-P

By Dipavali Naik on Jan 18, 2014

Where can I buy the ready pastry? Send by email

By sonia on Nov 23, 2013

OMG i'm so happy to have found this...i thoought after mom passed away i'd never eat her pita again. i know the whole procedure i just needed to remember how she made the dough. then she'd sprinkle a cheese mixture all over the dough grab the table cloth give a yank and it would roll up like a snake. In the pan it with with a bit of oil rubbed on it. when that came out of the oven we couldn't wait to cut into it. all those years i thought only my mom knew how to make pita. other fillings she did, pumpkin, apple, and ground beef with onions (dad's favorite)

By Maria on Nov 20, 2013

Can you tell me how to make filo that is Gluten Free?

By anjila on Nov 5, 2013

can i use warm water or cold

By dove on May 8, 2013

It was awsome I made it and it came out perfect perfectisimo :-D thanks

By tori Durning on Apr 1, 2012

can yu use regular flour & white vinegar? :?:

By Briana on Mar 28, 2012

This was alot of fun to make...I let the dough rest for two hours and felt amazing. I love working with all types of dough but this might be my favorite. I tripled the recipe (big family) and divided it into four sections to work with. Thanks for the recipe! :wink:

By Nan C on Mar 28, 2012

Can you tell me how to make filo that is Gluten Free?

By Katheleen on Feb 29, 2012

Thank You!!! Was wondering if it would be easier in my Kitchenaid with the pasta attachment... guess I'll find out. :roll:

By muslim on Jan 25, 2012

how do we cook it then................

See my apple strudel recipe or spanakopita recipe

By Lauren on Oct 16, 2011

hey, i am making the dough but its not hardening into a ball. shall i add more flour? :-D

By Martha on Oct 12, 2011

I can't wait to try it- many thanks!!! :)

By jesse morris on Sep 22, 2011

Thanks so much! I thought it would be so much more :idea: difficult, but really it's just a simple puff pastry. Gracias!

By kat on Jul 12, 2011

hmmmm was thinking that a noodle maker might be the trick to stretch that puppy out. I am gonna try it and let ya know later...

By Angelica on Jun 6, 2011

What you CAN do, that's much easier, you can cut the ball of dough into sections... Say, cut it into 1/3rd's, and roll out each third. It's easier because there's not so much of it at one time. :D Hope this helps!

By The Cowboy's Wife on Jun 1, 2011

Mmm... it looks so good! Thanks for all of the tips!

By tokyovegan on Feb 9, 2011

Hi, I am so happy to find this recipe, as I've been looking to make my own phyllo for so long. Living in Tokyo, Phyllo's hard to find (and expensive when you can), and nor can we find whole wheat phyllo. Can yours be made whole wheat? Thanks, William

By christine on Dec 6, 2010

:wink: Just like I use to do wit my grandmother . It is SOOO much fun doing it with someone and the final product is great...nothing like home made apple strudel. I still do it today for other things as well.

By Sarah on Nov 7, 2010

:) Wow thanks for this recipe. We never find ready-made filo pastry sheets here and hence it is impossible for me to make recipes that need filo pastry sheets. By the way, what is cider vinegar. I can't seem to find it here in the shops. Can I omit it? Or else can i substitute it with white vinegar?

By Mallika on Apr 23, 2010

Can I omit cider vinegar here? Any alternatives available otherwise???

Yes u can. It also helps in providing the stretchiness to the dough

By Suma on Mar 28, 2010

Great!! Awesome!! Gotta try this out!!

By Cindy on Mar 27, 2010

Amazing, I was thinking of making some little salty pastries in advance for my lunchs, but phylo sounded like a hassle. Thanks for making it sound so easy!

By Mary Moh on Mar 26, 2010

You are amazing to make your own phyllo pastry! It's just too big a challenge for me. I think I'll just go and buy at the moment.

By Jyoti on Mar 26, 2010

omg!! u did this.. i dont have so much patience.. hats off to u!

By ruchikacooks on Mar 26, 2010

Wow! You made this at home DK? Looks amazing.. It seems so simple but I am sure I cannot repeat it the way you have stretched the dough..I still buy store brands :(