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Kitchen How-To: Working with Phyllo
Our guide to mastering this paper-thin dough
Step One
Step Two
Step Three
Step Four
Step Five

Working with this paper-thin dough is simple. Follow these instructions from Test Kitchens Professional Kathleen Kanen, and you'll be making phyllo treats in no time. Use the filling from our Goat Cheese Tarts with Lemon-Fig Compote, to create tasty appetizers, or fill with your favorite jam or jelly. Before beginning, thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight. Wrap unused dough in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

While you work: Cover extra dough with a slightly dampened, lightweight kitchen towel, such as a flour-sack towel, to prevent the dough from drying out.

Step 1. Carefully remove one sheet at a time. Layer four sheets, one atop the other, for a sturdy pastry. Coat all but the top layer with cooking spray to prevent tearing.

Step 2. Use a pizza cutter to cut dough in half vertically, creating two long sections. Use cooking spray to bond any tearing that occurs while working.

Step 3. To make triangles: Working with one section at a time, drop a tablespoon of filling onto the bottom. Leave a one-inch border around the filling to allow for folding.

Step 4. Gently fold pastry into a triangle-start at the filling end and fold forward in a flag pattern. Avoid wrapping too tightly, which can cause the filling to spill out during baking.

Step 5. To make shells: Cut the two long sections (from Step 2) into thirds to create six squares. Line a muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes, then fill and serve.

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