Phyllo dough is one of those incredible back-pocket ingredients that’s smart to keep stashed in the freezer, right along with dumplings and peas and good broth. Known by varied names throughout the Eastern Mediterranean (phyllo in Greek, yufka in Turkey, fila in Arabic) these parchment-thin sheets of dough bake up into shatteringly crisp layers of flaky pastry for stunning dishes both savory and sweet. Once a specialty mail-order item, today frozen sheets of this simple flour and water-based dough are readily available in most well-stocked grocery stores.
The rolls of dough should be removed from the freezer and allowed to thaw in the fridge overnight or for at least two hours on the counter. Attempts to unroll the dough while still frozen will result in broken sheets and disappointment. Once unrolled, keep the sheets covered with a barely damp towel or piece of plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out and becoming brittle. From there they are ready to be lightly brushed with butter, olive oil or a combination and rolled, stacked or wrapped into a limitless variety of creations.
An advantage of phyllo compared to other store-bought pastry doughs is that the cook has greater control of the quality and the amount of fat that goes into the dough. Much of the readily available puff pastry and pie doughs are laden with highly processed fats that offer little to no flavor. Recipes made with store-bought phyllo, however, can still offer the rich flavor of butter or the complex notes of good olive oil while still taking advantage of a convenient shortcut. Additional pops of flavor can be added in each flakey layer, perhaps with a dusting of spiced sugar for sweet preparations, while savory iterations can receive a sprinkle of herbs and cheese (be sure to use a hard, dry cheese such as Parmesan).
Once you’ve assembled at least three or more layers of buttered or oiled dough, the phyllo is ready to wrap or roll. The dough can also be layered into a baking dish and used as a crust for a show-topping pie, quiche or this gorgeous vegetable tart. Layers of phyllo can also be baked in whole sheets and then layered with vanilla infused pastry cream for a deceptively elegant Napoleon pastry.
Phyllo turnovers
Ingredients:
One roll of 9-inch by 14-inch phyllo sheets, thawed
½ cup melted butter, olive oil or liquid fat of choice
Sprinkle fillings for layers, such as cinnamon sugar or Parmesan, optional
2-3 cups filling of choice (frozen berries or lightly cooked apples, grated cheese, cooked meat such as shredded chicken or ham, lightly roasted or blanched chopped vegetables, minced herbs, sautéed onions, frozen spinach that’s been thawed, squeezed dry and mixed with herbs, cheese and a beaten egg).
Unroll the thawed roll of phyllo dough and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees or 350 degrees if using the convection setting. Lay one sheet of dough onto a clean, dry cutting board. Lightly brush with butter or oil and sprinkle with sugar or cheese if using, then repeat twice to make a stack of three dough layers. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough lengthwise into thirds to make three long strips of dough. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling onto the end of each phyllo strip. Beginning at the end with the filling, fold one corner of the dough over the filling to form a triangle. Continue folding, maintaining the triangle shape. Transfer the turnover to a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with melted butter or oil. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. At this point the turnovers can be frozen and stored, well wrapped, for several weeks.
To bake, place the turnovers in the preheated 350-degree oven (325 for frozen turnovers) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes (20-35 minutes for frozen turnovers) until golden. They are delicious served warm or at room temperature.
Roasted root vegetable and phyllo tart
Ingredients:
½ pound carrots, peeled and sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch slices
½ pound beets, peeled and sliced ¼’inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Zest of one lemon
12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
6 tablespoons melted butter
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the sliced carrots and beets with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper, then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and roast for 10 to 15 minutes until just tender. Remove the vegetables from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
While the veggies are roasting, prepare the goat cheese spread by combining the goat cheese, cream cheese, minced garlic, parsley, thyme and lemon zest. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. The mixture should have a spreadable consistency. If the room is cool you may need to microwave the cheeses very briefly to soften them.
Unroll the thawed roll of phyllo dough and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Place a single sheet of phyllo dough on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with butter and top with another sheet. Repeat until all 12 sheets are used up. Use a spatula to carefully spread the filling over the stack of phyllo sheets, leaving about an inch and a half of phyllo exposed to be folded later. Arrange the lightly roasted veggies over the goat cheese mixture then fold the exposed edges of the dough up over the tart to form the edges of the tart. Pinch the corners to ensure a good seal, then brush the edges with butter. Bake until the edges of the tart are golden and the veggies are tender, about 30-35 minutes.
Ashley Meyer is a chef and freelance writer based in Springfield.
This article appears in February 26 – March 4, 2026.
