Some people feel afraid to handle phyllo.  Well, don’t worry if you can’t roll out the phyllo, it’s not as difficult as you may think.  If you have a pasta machine it’s really easy but I will also guide you, step by step how to roll out the phyllo.

Once you make the dough, which should not stick on your hands, leave it to rest for half an hour and each time you take a piece to roll it out keep flouring your working surface with either flour or corn flour (starch)  and a little on top of the dough so that it will not stick.  Using corn flour is much better as it make the phyllo more crispy when baked.

Rolling out phyllo on pasta machine:

Depending on your pasta machine, it is usually numbered from 1 - 6 and on some other attachments on stand mixers, the machines are numbered from 1 - 8.   Divide your dough into smaller pieces and set your pasta machine to the smallest number which is Nr. 1.  Each phyllo you roll out, dust it with corn flour and continue the same procedure until you get the desired thickness.

Note:  Once you get used to your pasta machine, try skipping the even numbers and go from 1 to 3 and then to 5.  It saves time.

How to make …Dough for Phyllo or Pasta

Preparation time:  10 minutes

Resting time:  about 30 minutes

Rolling out:  about 30 minutes, depending on your skills

Ingredients:

• 500 grams all purpose flour  (or whole wheat flour)
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
• 200 ml water (about 1 cup)

Directions

Mix the salt with flour and pour in the oil. Using your fingertips rub the oil until the flour has absorbed the oil. Add vinegar and water gradually and mix until the dough is soft but not sticky on your hands.

Place on a floured surface and knead for five minutes.

Alternatively you can make the dough in your mixer using the dough paddle.  Put the flour and olive oil in the  mixer bowl and mix on slow speed.  Add the vinegar and add water gradually until the dough is ready and does not stick on the walls of the bowl.  Test with your fingers to see if it is sticky.  If it is add more flour.

Cover the dough with cling film or a kitchen towel for half an hour to rest.

Flour your working surface and sprinkle the dough with flour or corn flour, before rolling it out on a floured surface.

Divivide the dough into smaller pieces and form them into a ball and then flatten into a disc.  While rolling out, keep the remaining covered with cling film or a kitchen towel.

Rolling out the phyllo manually:

For this type of phyllo you will need a rolling pin.  I find that the traditional, long and thin stick, the type our grandmothers used to have, works better.

Divide you dough into small pieces, dust your working surface with corn flour and sprinkle some on the dough.  The above amount makes about 5 - 6 phyllos for a round tin around 28 cm diameter.The first phyllo should always be the biggest so that it may cover the sides of the baking tin.

Roll out the phyllo turning it clockwise, until it becomes about 20 cm.  To make the phyllo thinner roll it on the rolling stick and with your fingers pressing it gently, try and stretch the dough towards the edges.

Unroll the phyllo, dust with corn flour and continue until it reaches the desired thinness.  When you are done, roll it on the rolling stick again and unfold it on your greased baking tin.

Each phyllo should be brushed with olive oil before adding another one on top so that they will not stick with each other.  Be generous with the olive oil as this makes it tastier and crunchier.

Add the filling in the middle and continue adding phyllos on top, following the same procedure.

When done brush the surface with olive oil and cut the edges.  You can form the cut dough into another ball and roll it out for another layer of phyllo or if you don’t want more layers make it into a very easy and delicious Cypriot pastry dessert called pischies.

Finally pinch the phyllos with your thumb and index fingers, trying to join them together and with a sharp knife score the phyllo to any amount of pieces you like and bake.

Bake any pie in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C until golden brown on top.

How to make Pasta

The same things apply when we roll out dough to make pasta.

Ingredients for pasta:

• 2 whole eggs
• 3 - 4 tablespoons of water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ kilo sifted all-purpose flour
• ½ cup of olive oil

Directions:

Place flour in mixer bowl, add salt and oil and mix. Add eggs and water until dough is not sticky. Cover with cling film and leave it to rest for 30 minutes before rolling out.

If you are using a pasta machine, first, dust a clean surface with flour and start taking a small amount of dough make it into a flat bread and begin rolling from number 1, dust it with flour and continue setting the pasta machine until you achieve the desired thickness.  You can then cut the pasta with a sharp knife or use the attachment to make tagliatelle.

Here are a few ideas of what you can make with this dough:

Kolokotes (Pumpkin pies) : roll from 1, 3 and 4 (or 1, 3, 6 on mixer)

Spanakopita (Spinach pies) : 1, 3, 4 (or 1, 3, 7 on mixer)

Mini Flaounes (cheese pies) (Cypriot origin): 1, 3, 4 (or 1, 3, 6 on mixer)

Easter Flounes (Cypriot origin): 1, 3, 4 (or 1, 3, 6 on mixer)

Bourekia (Pies filled either with minced meat, anari and other fillings) : 1, 3, 4 (or 1, 3, 7 on mixer)

Kattimerka (pies with honey or petimezi (must): 1, 3, 4 (or 1, 3, 7 on mixer)

Daktyla (Ladies Fingers) , : 1, 3, 5 (or 1, 3, 8 on mixer)

Elioti (Olive pie rolls) : 1, 2, 3 (or 1, 3, 6 on mixer)

Eliopitakia (small olive pies) : 1, 2, 3 (or 1, 3, 6 on mixer)

Pischies (pies made of leftover dough) : 1, 3, 5 (or 1, 3, 8 on mixer)

Shiamishi (Pies filled with sweet cream) : 1,3, 6, (or 1, 3, 6, 9)

Kreatopita (Meat Pie) : 1, 3, 4 (or 1, 3, 7)
Spanakopita Strifti: 1, 3, 4 (or 1, 3, 7 on mixer)

Spanakopita Nistisimi : 1, 3, 4 (or 1, 3, 7 on mixer)

For the dough for Pasta:

Ravioles (savory pasta dish filled with cheese) : 1, 2, 3 (omit the vinegar)  (or 1, 3, 6 on mixer).  I prefer not to use the phyllo with eggs for the ravioli I make but if you like you can make it with eggs.

Kaloirka (Beef Ravioli): 1, 3, 4 (or 1, 3, 6 on mixer)

Makarounotes Hilopites (like tagliatelle)

Other relevant posts:

How to make phyllo with butter

How to make provencial pastry

Good luck!

Tags: dough, How to.., made with phyllo, Pasta, pastry, phyllo, pies, pites, Tips-cooking