Phyllo dough has become increasingly popular for all kinds of cooking. It's low-fat or fat-free and is often used to replace higher fat crusts. When planning to use this wafer-thin dough, here are some helpful details.
- Phyllo sheets are generally sold in 1 lb. packages.
- Phyllo is sold in different thicknesses and shapes.
- Phyllo for Pastries is very thin, used for delicate pastries like baklava, and rolled pastries. Each 1 pound box contains approximately 24 sheets.
- Country Phyllo contains around 8 sheets per 1 pound box and is more suited to the small baked savory and cheese filled pies.
- Phyllo puff pastry (Sfoliata) comes packaged 2 sheets to the 1 pound box and can be used as is, or rolled out to meet recipe needs.
- The size of the sheets can be 18" x 14" but it is also sold in other sizes, and can easily be cut to fit your recipe.
- Phyllo can be bought fresh (never been frozen) at many Greek and Middle Eastern markets, and it is available in frozen form at most large markets.
- Phyllo is also sold in different shapes (pastry cups, etc.) which allows them to be used straight from the package without any special cutting or trimming.
- Check production and expiration dates. Look for the freshest.
Kataïfi dough is shredded phyllo. It is sold in 1 lb. packages, and will make 18-24 rolls of kataïfi pastries in our recipe here on the site.