Phyllo (LEAF in Greek) dough is very thinly rolled sheets of wheat dough. Phyllo is usually available at most supermarkets. Originally, phyllo was brought to Greece from Istanbul, Turkey. These sheets are very, very thin and can dry out quickly or tear, so careful handling is the order of the day. Once you have used delectable phyllo and seen the results of baking with it, you will be hard pressed to choose another pre-made dough.

You should actually plan your attack when baking with phyllo dough - frozen phyllo dough should be defrosted over several hours or overnight - keep it in the package (and box) it is purchased in. Always defrost phyllo in the refrigerator and not out on your kitchen counter. If you do defrost on the kitchen counter, the sheets closest to the outside will get sticky from the condensation inside the package. Sticky sheets will tear and are near impossible to work with. On the other extreme, this dough dries out very quickly when the package is opened and the phyllo exposed to the air at room temperature.

One essential tip is to prepare the filling mixture and any other ingredients while the dough is defrosting. Also, cool all fillings and mixtures to room temperature before using. Drain any excess moisture whether it be water, juice or grease/oil. Drain liquids out very well to avoid soft spots, holes and tears in your final product. Always bring the dough itself to just a slight bit cooler than room temperature before using. By working with it at just a slightly cooler temperature, the dough does not tend to give and tear as much. If the dough gets a little too warm while you are working - cover it entirely with wax paper (watch the ends) and set it in your freezer for three to four minutes. Then, remove it back to your workspace and start working again.

Save the original packaging box and bag for storing any leftover dough. In a regular (one pound) package of phyllo there will be anywhere from twenty to twenty-five sheets of dough. Any leftover phyllo can be rerolled and placed back into the original plastic bag. Tape the end to seal it and put the roll back into the original box. This unused portion of phyllo can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or refrozen for up to 3 months.

Phyllo is essentially a fat-free product. When baking with it, you need to supplement the dough with fat content by brushing the individual sheets with melted, clarified butter. Flavored olive oils are also great for brushing individual sheets when you are creating savory dishes with phyllo. Never use water! Water will cause the dough to break down and fall apart. If you get small tears, just gently brush the tear with a little of the butter and press the torn edges back together with your fingers.

Work with the entire stack of ?new? phyllo on a clean, dry workspace or clean kitchen towel. Phyllo is so thin that it begins to dry out immediately. (I know, I?ve said this already.) Always cover the dough immediately with a sheet or two of wax paper or a clean, dampened kitchen cloth and make sure that the phyllo is covered all the way to and including all edges.

Working with phyllo is typical of any other sandwich construction - stacking! Remove the wax paper barrier; brush butter across the entire sheet of phyllo, including the edges; remove the layer to the stack of other buttered layers that have been put into a buttered baking dish. Cover the remaining layers of phyllo with the wax paper until you are ready to butter and remove the next layer. A few good rules of thumb are to begin at the bottom of your dish with 6 to 8 layered sheets of buttered phyllo dough to make a good base. Then, lay down your filling (evenly) and remaining phyllo sheet layers should only be 2 or 3 sheets thick. Baking should be done in a pan with depth and an edge to reserve any extra butter, filling or liquid inside the baking dish so that it does not fall down into your oven and burn.

Next week, I will share some great tips and recipes for sweet and savory fillings and mixtures that will may this phyllo dough sing and have your guests smiling.