Caramel Apple Turnover with Filo Pastry - Easy Recipe | The Worktop (2024)

FAQs

How many layers of filo pastry should I use? ›

To achieve a crisp filo, you need to generously brush each layer with olive oil or melted butter (depending on the recipe). With thin hand-made filo, use two or more layers; with thicker filo, do single layers. The amount of flour you use in the dough depends on the weather (humidity levels) and the flour.

Filo is ideal if you want to make healthier samosas or spring rolls, as they don't need to be deep fried and can instead be oven baked.

It will always somewhat soften and eventually get soggy because of the moisture. I don't know anything to prevent it. We have found over the many years of making Spanakopita, that the thinner the filing, the better the bottom will brown and get really crispy.

To get that flaky effect, you need to brush some sort of fat between each layer of dough. Usually I use unsalted butter, which gives the finished product a beautiful golden color. For those who don't want to use dairy, you can substitute extra-virgin olive oil for the butter.

Brush your filo layers with butter

of butter, so prepare, cook, and melt a good measure before brushing. And butter comes in handy too if your filo starts breaking a little.

The pastry is very thin and doesn't necessarily need fat to be brushed onto both sides. In the Om Ali recipe the filo is put on to the baking sheet butter side down so that the pastry doesn't stick to the baking sheet as it cooks.

If you don't want to use butter, you still need to brush the pastry with another form of fat to help your pastry cook properly. Here are some alternatives: Olive oil – a popular choice for savoury pies and pastries. Cooking spray – lightly spray each layer with cooking spray for a lower fat alternative.

Phyllo consists of tissue-thin sheets of dough. Phyllo, also spelled filo or fillo, means "leaf" in Greek, and the pastry dough is widely used in the Balkans and Middle East.

Sprinkle a thin layer of breadcrumbs between each layer of pastry as you go – this will help to keep the pastry crisp. When you get to the final layer, brush with a little extra oil and scrunch the edges together to create a pretty border.

When the fat remains cool until cooking, it melts into layers in the pastry as it cooks, making it nice and flaky. If you put hot filling into your pastry case, you will melt some of the fat prematurely and so the pastry won't be as good as would be if you let it cool.

What to brush phyllo pastry with? ›

In order to get golden, individual layers, you need to brush each layer of phyllo with butter or oil. Use a pastry brush, and remember that each sheet will soak up around 1 Tbsp. of fat, so plan accordingly.

You can use the filo pastry from the fridge straight away, but you need to thaw the frozen filo pastry first. To do this, leave it out on the kitchen counter until it's at room temperature and pliable.

Bring phyllo dough to room temperature prior to use (about 2 hours). Phyllo must be completely thawed and at room temperature for best results. Unopened phyllo has a refrigerated shelf life of 4 weeks thus it can be on hand and ready to use whenever needed.

Typically, phyllo dishes should have a finished thickness of 3 to 10 sheets per layer. (A one-pound box of phyllo contains about 20 sheets.) Tip: Phyllo pastries can often be very brittle when baked. We recommend using a serrated knife to cut the finished dish to prevent all of the filling from squishing out.

Yes, but you might want to use an eggwash or water to make sure the two layers stick together. Yep, there are recipes that call for exactly that.