Phyllo Shells Recipes - Appetizers and Desserts - Peas and Crayons (2024)

FAQs

Do you thaw phyllo shells before baking? ›

Defrost in the refrigerator to make sure those butter layers stay nice and cold, and handle the dough as little as possible. Phyllo dough is available in frozen sheets or shells. The shells do not need thawing, but the sheets must be completely thawed before using.

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.

As soon as you pull the baked brie cups from the oven, transfer them to a wire rack. The air circulating underneath the phyllo will prevent them from becoming soggy. Keep phyllo cups on a wire rack until ready to serve.

Light, flaky layers of dough are formed into mini pastry cups, then fully baked and frozen fresh.

The magic of phyllo sheets comes in the layering. You'll brush oil or melted butter between each layer of phyllo. I'm using olive oil for this spinach pie. Oil the dish, add a sheet of phyllo, brush with oil, top with another phyllo sheet and repeat.

There are two key elements to promoting the extensibility necessary in the dough: adding vinegar to the dough, which weakens some of the gluten bonding, making it less elastic; and ample resting. Of course, it takes practice, just like working with any kind of dough.

CLASSIC RECIPES using fillo usually calls for brushing dough with melted butter. This keeps the thin leaves separate – prevents “clumping” – so they will bake into flaky layers. USE OLIVE OIL – For healthier results, brush on a light olive or vegetable oil instead of butter.

Richard's solution: Soggy bottoms can be a right nuisance, even though they don't really alter the taste of your bake. They are usually the result of either a filling that's too wet in your bake or an under-cooked or thin pastry base. These are easily remedied though using a few simple tips.

Make ahead. Many phyllo dishes can be assembled and frozen in airtight containers prior to baking.

Filo pastry dries out and cracks very quickly when it comes in contact with air.

How to keep phyllo crispy? ›

How do you get phyllo dough to bake crispy and light instead of coming out like toasted pasta? To achieve a crispy and light texture with phyllo dough, make sure to brush each layer with melted butter or oil. Additionally, avoid overloading the layers with too much filling, as this can contribute to a soggy result.

The main differences between puff pastry and phyllo dough are their fat content and preparation. Puff pastry is a laminated dough that gets its signature airy puff from layers of butter, while phyllo dough is comparatively low-fat. Phyllo dough is mostly flour and water and can dry out easily.

– Wrap any leftover phyllo tightly with plastic wrap and keep in a cooler for up to 1 week. – For longer storage, refreeze phyllo. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then with foil and store in freezer up to 2 months.

Put it in the refrigerator overnight—phyllo dough takes about 8 hours to thaw. After that, leave it out on your countertop at room temperature for another hour until the sheets are completely pliable. Only then is your dough properly defrosted.

Phyllo must be completely thawed and at room temperature for best results. Do not open until all other ingredients are assembled and you are ready to work. Remove any phyllo you don't need for your recipe, re-roll, wrap in plastic and refreeze up to expiration date.

Working With Frozen Phyllo Dough

You will have to give yourself some time to prepare since frozen phyllo takes about 24 hours to properly defrost: Don't let it defrost too quickly. The trick to thawing phyllo dough is to make sure that it doesn't defrost too quickly.

Separate and place each sheet on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and defrost in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. Once Puff Pastry is thawed, work quickly while it's still cold. You can cut it into desired shapes, then store in the fridge until you're ready for the next step. Puff Pastry works best when cold.

Good to know:

Filo pastry can be bought frozen (defrost for ~ 1 hr before use) or in the fridge section, ready to be used straight away. It's super thin and can dry easily once it's removed from it's packaging, so work quickly or use a damp kitchen towel to keep it covered and supple.