Learn to Make Filo Pastry From Scratch Recipe – Stack & Roll Method

Dough Ingredients

250g strong flour
25mls extra virgin olive oil
10mls white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
130mls lukewarm water plus 10-15mls 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 or extra virgin olive oil for brushing the filo layers

Equipment

25/30cm round baking tray
Standard rolling pin
Pastry Brush

Method for making the pie
1. Preheat the oven to 180degrees.
2. Divide the dough into twenty pieces.
3. On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to the size of a dessert plate.
4. Butter or oil each piece of filo and stack 10 sheets on top of each other and repeat with the remaining pieces. You should have 2 stacks of 10 pieces of filo.
5. Prepare the preferred filling.
6. Place the first stack of filo pastry onto a floured surface and roll out until it’s big enough to fit over the baking tray. Place it into the greased tray followed by the filling and the second stack of filo that has also being rolled out. The top piece does not need to be as large as the bottom piece.
7. 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.
8. 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.