Pies & Pita, Recipes
Filo Pastry From Scratch Recipe – Sun Rays Method
Filo Pastry From Scratch Recipe – Sun rays method
Dough Ingredients
- 500g strong flour
- 50mls extra virgin olive oil
- 20mls white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 260mls lukewarm water plus 15-20mls extra (go by feel)
Method for making the dough
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
2. In a small bowl, combine the water, vinegar and olive oil.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and pour in all the wet ingredients. At this stage, all the flour may not have been incorporated. Slowly add a very small drizzle of extra warm water at a time to the bowl and mix. Once all the flour has been absorbed by the dough stop adding water. The dough should feel soft and elastic. The dough should also feel tacky but not sticky.
4. Turn the dough onto your work surface and knead it for approximately 5 minutes or until it is smooth.
5. Add a teaspoon of olive oil into the bowl and spread it across the bottom and edges and place the dough to rest, coat with some olive oil so a crust does not form and then with cling wrap and rest for 1 – 2 hours at room temperature.
For the Fillo
60g unsalted butter, melted and cooled for drizzling the filo
Equipment
34 or 36cm round baking tray
Standard rolling pin
Pastry Brush
Method for making the pie
- Preheat the oven to 180degrees.
- Divide the dough into two pieces, one can be slightly bigger than the other. The larger piece will form the bottom layer.
- On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough as large as you can get it and drizzle with cooled melted butter.
- Cut filo into the shape of a sun with rays, either 8 or 16 pieces. Fold each piece over into the centre to overlap and stretch it if you have to in order to form a uniform layered circle.
- Cover & allow to rest covered for 30 minutes.
- After resting, roll out each layered piece on a floured surface to fit the size of the baking tray.
- Prepare the preferred filling.
- Place the first piece of filo pastry down into the greased tray, followed by the filling and then the second piece of fillo pastry.
- Seal the top & bottom edges by creating a braid, brush the whole surface with olive oil, score into pieces, and sprinkle a little water on top.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until golden on top and underneath. The pie is ready when it freely moves in the baking tray. Allow to settle for a few minutes before taking out of the tray to avoid condensation. Best served after it has cooled a little.
