Phyllo

Paper-thin sheets of unleavened flour dough that are layered with butter or oil and baked into crisp, flaky pastries.

Phyllo: A stack of paper-thin phyllo pastry sheets partly unfolded, one sheet being lifted, a bowl of melted butter beside it
  • Doughs, batters and pastry foundations

Also called: filo

Phyllo, also spelled filo, is made from flour, water, a little oil and sometimes vinegar. The dough is stretched or rolled until it is almost see-through. In baking, several sheets are stacked with melted butter or oil brushed between them, which turns them into many crisp, shattering layers.

The sheets dry out and crack quickly in air, so they are kept covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel while working. Phyllo is used for baklava, börek, spanakopita, strudel-style rolls and tart shells.

Bake it at VanillaGoods

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Science of Cooking: Ask the Inquisitive Cooks!, Exploratorium
  2. The Top 8 Pastry Wonders of the World: Delicious Pastries to Try, Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia