Greek Homemade Filo Dough With Four Variations Food

SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

HOMEMADE PHYLLO (OR FILO) DOUGH

Steps:

• Place 2 cups flour in a mixing bowl; make a well in the center. Drizzle in olive oil and add salt; add white wine vinegar and warm water. Mix until dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 1 or 2 minutes. Transfer dough ball to a lightly floured work surface.
• Knead until dough is smooth, using just enough flour to keep it from sticking to the work surface or your hands, 2 or 3 minutes. Continue to knead until dough is supple and elastic, about 5 more minutes. Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.
• Divide dough into 20 (20 gram) portions using a kitchen scale; roll each portion into a ball. Place on plate and cover with plastic wrap to prevent dough balls from drying out while you begin to roll them out. Work in batches of 5.
• Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons flour together in a bowl. Dust a work surface and the first dough ball with the cornstarch mixture. Flatten out the dough ball and roll out into a circle, about 5 inches in diameter. Dust again with cornstarch mixture. Set circle to one side. Roll out 4 more dough balls to about the same diameter and stack them on the first one, dusting each layer with more of the cornstarch mixture to keep them from sticking together.
• When you have 5 circles, roll out the stack to a larger circle about double in size, turning as you go to maintain a round shape. Separate each layer and lay out the circles. Re-apply more cornstarch mixture where needed and restack them. Roll again until the 5-layer stack is paper thin, about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Place on a sheet of parchment paper; top with another piece of parchment. Gently roll up the dough; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate.
• Repeat with the remaining 15 balls of dough in batches of 5.

GREEK HOMEMADE FILO DOUGH WITH FOUR VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Lightly oil a large bowl and set it aside. Mix the flour and salt together in a second large bowl. Make a well in the middle and slowly blend in the warm water, using an electric mixer or a fork, until a stiff dough has formed.
• Lightly sprinkle a work surface with flour, and transfer the dough to it. Knead and fold the dough until it is elastic and shiny, about 10 minutes. Pat the dough into a ball, place it in the oiled bowl, and turn to coat it all over with the oil. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rest for 2 hours.
• Dust the work surface again with a light layer of flour. Divide the dough into four pieces. With a 1 1/2 inch diameter dowel, roll each piece out to form a 10 inch circle. Lay the dough circles out on a dry surface that has been dusted with cornstarch, cover them with a cloth, and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• Dust the rolling surface again. With the dowel, roll each circle as thin as you can. This dough is very elastic, and you will probably have to use your hands to stretch it as well as roll it. You can roll the whole circle of dough around the rolling stick, and holding up the stick let the dough slowly unroll so that gravity helps stretch it. After rolling and stretching each circle as thin as you can, place a clean, smooth cloth over your table. Dust the cloth with flour and lay the rolled pastry in the center. With both hands, stretch the dough until it is as thin as a dime and at least 14 x 12 inches in size. Don't worry about any holes; you can work around them later.
• When the dough is stretched thin, cut sheets the size you desire. Save any trimmings to roll again. Continue with the other circles until all the filo is rolled and cut. Keep the rolled sheets covered until ready to use.
• Use the filo sheets right away, or sprinkle them with flour and stack them one on top of another. Loosely roll the stack up into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months. Makes 4 to 6 sheets: enough for a 12 x 9 inch pan.
• VARIATIONS:.
• FILO WITH CARBONATED WATER, BEER, OR BAKING POWDER: Some Greeks substitute carbonated water or beer for the plain water, or add a little baking powder, to get a bit of rise in their dough.
• When using carbonated water or beer, simply replace the water with the liquid of choice.
• When adding baking powder, include 2 teaspoons baking powder when you mix together the flour and salt in Step 1. Include 2 Tablespoons olive oil along with the first 1/2 cup water; then add up to 1/4 cup more water, as needed, to form a stiff dough.
• FILO WITH VINEGAR OR LEMON JUICE: Vinegar and lemon juice, in some opinions, add a little sparkle and elasticity to the dough. Vinegar in the dough goes particularly well with pitas filled with spinach, leeks, or various greens.
• To use, include 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil along with the first 1/2 cup water. Add up to 1/4 cup more water, as needed.
• FILO WITH EGG, MILK, OR YOGURT: Occasionally a dough maker will enrich filo dough with an egg, or will use milk or yogurt instead of the water. The resulting dough is yellower and creamier.
• When adding egg, you will need to use a little less water or a little more flour to achieve a stiff dough. It takes approximately 4 cups of flour to make the dough stiff enough when using 2 eggs.
• To use milk, simply substitute the same amount of milk for the water.
• When replacing water with yogurt, use either less flour or add a few extra tablespoons of water to achieve a stiff dough.
• FILO WITH OIL: Many Greeks use oil in their filo dough. Oil makes the dough even more elastic, though a bit less flaky. Use 3/4 cup warm water, 1/3 cup oil and 1/2 cup more flour. The oil can be olive oil, a flavorful nut oil, or for a very Mediterranean touch, sesame oil. You can also use part oil and part melted butter. Work the dough as little as possible; stop when it holds together.
• Adventures In Greek Cooking The Olive And The Caper.