Easy Beginner Phyllo Dough Recipe

I love to explore new recipes. I like to make homemade puffs. While trying to search for new pastry recipes i came across phyllo dough from mid eastern cuisine. Phyllo dough is similar to puff pastry if it is thick. I wanted to make homemade phyllo dough and sheets. The following recipe needs some time but, very easy once you try it. Lets start easy beginner phyllo dough recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of flour
• 2 Tablespoon Oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup & 3 Tablespoon Tepid water

*Tepid water = 2 cup cold water + 1 cup Hot water *

• Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add oil and water. I added 1/2 cup of cold water and 3 tablespoon hot water.
• Stir until soft dough is formed. Then knead it in the bowl for about 10 minutes.
• Dough will feel sticky at first, but kneading will help to form a soft and smooth dough.
• When well mixed, wrap pastry in plastic wrap and leave it to rest at room temperature for about 1 hour.
• It is ready to use after 1 hour. If not all the dough is being used right away, wrap the unused portion and keep chilled in fridge up to a week.
• Always bring to room temperature before using.

• Divide the pastry into 4 equal portions, and again divide them into 4 portions.
• Shape them into smooth balls.
• Cover the dough with a cloth or plastic wrap, except the one you're working with.
• Otherwise the dough will quickly become dry and hard.

• Take a ball of dough and press it into a circle.
• For me circle is easy to make than square.
• Place it on a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 6 inch circle using rolling pin.
• Dust again with flour and keep it covered.
• Make other balls into circles and layer it each on top of previous one and cover it.
• Now take the layered circles and dust with flour.
• Start rolling and don't forget to flour generously in between the sheets.
• You should wind up with thin sheets 14 inch in size and the edges can be given final stretch with the fingertips.
• As my work space is small i made 14- 15 inch sheets.
• Use soon after making and always keep it covered.

Tips:

• If you want to prepare early keep wax paper between the layers.
• If you want them more thin, work with single layer.

You can use this dough for making baklava, pies, lamb pastries and mony other mid eastern sweets.