[pillsbury1]

well i piddled with some filo dough for the first time...it went sorta/kinda well...i tried clarifying margarine...not good. i been trying to think of a way to quickly apply butter to the sheets without physically touching them...has anyone ever tried melted butter in a spray mist bottle? would it even spray out? i ve been around puff pastry dough alot and love all the inventive dessert ideas that r possible.....but this filo dough is out of this world...its a hit as soon as it touches the tongue and then the flavor of whatever is in it....mmmm i like to make little 2-3 bite tars in regular cupcake pans. one post said to bake off my philo tart shell but insert a small aluminum foil ball in the middle first...remove the foil ball and fill later.. now that to me was a awesome tip....

[foodpump]

Best way is brushing the sheets with clarified butter, whole butter has too much water and you'll get white spots on the pastry. Margerine--YECH!!!!, actually you'd be better off with Xtra virg olive oil, that you can spray in a mister,and it's a fairly neutral flavour too.

You can boost the crispyness factor by sprinkling fine breadcrumbs or whatever between the sheets after oiling/buttering them, with the crumbs yhou don't have to use so much oil, and the crumbs keep the layers from sticking to one another, allowing them to bake and stay crispy.

[tommybza]

Also with Filo try to keep the butter warm and when laying the filo keep it kind of wrinkeled up ,along with the bread crumbs or Finley ground cake crumbs passed threw a fine sive . also fresh filo . I have noticed that some purveors do not sell alot of filo and you will see and feel the diffrence .fresh you can work with verry easy,and that is the key there ,there is a place out of canada that sell's it and it is the best i have ever worked with .out side from the real deal .one week we had some chef's from Egypt come in and they made it right there .this is a art within it self .
T

[pgr555]

Margerine--YECH!!!!, actually you'd be better off with Xtra virg olive oil, that you can spray in a mister,and it's a fairly neutral flavour too.

I am very ALLERGIC TO DAIRY and use filo a fair amount... baklava, quiche tartlette, spanikopita, etc, etc. I use margerine both for personal and catering products, as well as my new bakery venture. Always get rave reviews. Most people have no idea because my product is so good. Those who keep kosher and need pareve foods or like me are allergic are thrilled when they find out.
I have tried evoo and not had as good results.. interesting how we each have very different experiences

[bughut]

How can u say extra virgin olive oil has a "fairly neutral flavour" I'm gobsmacked. Feel a humungus Du-uhh! coming on.
Do tell where youre buying yours so i can avoid it