IN GREEK, one translation of phyllo is “ply”, as in two-ply, plywood, and implies (sic) “layers” of something. In this case, it implies exceedingly thin layers of a very simple dough comprised of flour, water, and a touch of oil. Phyllo sheets (or leaves) only need a shimmer of butter, ghee, or olive oil between the leaves for baking into delicately crisp pastry crusts for a plethora of recipes.
Working with phyllo sheets is intimidating at first, but the return on the investment is a thousandfold. For all the tedious stress of quickly buttering and layering stacks of phyllo, the results are spectacular; case in point, the mille-feuille, left. The immensely satisfying Sausage & Egg Bake, addictive Tyropita hand pies, and habit-forming mincemeat tartlets individually and collectively demonstrate the same.
Don’t be discouraged if you tear a sheet, things aren’t perfectly rectangular, or you lose
