Phyllo can be hard to work with. I learned the hard way. When I tried to do baklava the other day and I wasn’t patient with phyllo, it showed me. It wasn’t the best dessert I have ever made but I learned how to handle phyllo from this recipe. When I asked mom where did I go wrong, she told me her four techniques for a successful phyllo dish every time. Whether you’re going for baklava, pepper pie, spanakopita, this is what you need to know to make any phyllo recipe come to life easily.
For Ideal Sheets
You have to plan ahead when you work with phyllo. The best technique is to defrost it the night before and thaw it in the fridge overnight. Take it out about an hour before assembling. What I have done wrong here is that I let it defrost for only one hour. I was in a rush, and I had broken flakes all over my board, my sheets got broken to four uneven layers of phyllo sheets. It was a mess.
So, next time, I will let it defrost, overnight, never force it because it’s delicate! Got it, next!
For Even Level Recipes
The most forgotten part my mom says. If you’re planning for many layers laid on top of each other, like in a baklava recipe, cut the phyllo sheets before baking with a pointed knife. Or it will be a golden one block when it’s done, and it would never cut equally when baked.
For A Golden Color Every Time
Each layer of phyllo should be buttered. Yes, it needs a lot of fat. Even the top layer. The fat should be butter and oil (1:1 ratio). This is how you will get golden phyllo every single time.
For Soft, Easy To Work With Sheets
To prevent dryness, cover your phyllo sheets while working with plastic or a clean, damp kitchen towel.
Do you have more techniques? Share it!
