frozen filo pastry

[lulumama]

am a pastry novice, got some frozen filo pastry ( in error) to make filo parcels- mint, feta and potato..

any tips ?

Hmmm. I think you have to be very careful that the pstry does not dry out as you are assembling the parcels. Keeping it covered with damp kitchen paper would prevent this.

okay......pastry turns me into a gibbering wreck !! thanks x

(me too)!!!
let me know how they turn out!

I find filo the easiest to use, tbh. You have to move quickly, and brush everything with oil.

Your recipe sounds fine, though. The packs normally have instructions for how to make the parcels. Just move quickly! And have a brush + olive oil ready to go.

Oh, you want to make sure the filling isn't too wet. You want it all v well drained.

Come on Lulumama! You can do it!
It's only pastry!
With your soup storing credentials pastry should be a doddle!

thanks NQC !!! and thanks spud ! soup and the storage thereof , i can handle !

Have you done it then?

erm....no...........

Lol!

the pressure !!!!!! eeeeeeeeeek !

Don't worry filo pastry is easy, so long as you work quickly before it dries out, and yes I agree keep any sheets you are not working with damp. Just let it defrost before you use it! Use a few layers at a time for things like samosas and just fold the pastry into a triangle around whatever filling you have. You can also do a nice easy parcel type thing where you cut a couple of squares out, however big you want them but probably about 10 inches square, and then lay two of the squares down on the worktop at angles to one another, if that makes sense, so you have four pointy corners. Then put a filling in the middle in a little pile (feta cheese, sauteed onions and spinach is yummy) and gather the four corners up over the filling and sort of twist and scrunch them together. Then bake in the oven for about 20 mins. Voila - lovely with salad.

This is MrsM here by the way - I changed my username to admit to something embarassing and now I can't be arsed to change it back.

You want to follow the thawing instructions, obviously.

I find filo is easy to use so don't panic. I keep it covered with a sheet of cling film while I'm buttering etc. As long as you keep the production line going, it's fine. I work with quite a sloppy filling too.

ok thanks all!

am going to take the first step, and take it out of the freezer !

or do you think i can prepare the filling tonight, and defrost the filo tomorrow and make them fresh for lunch as DH not here tongith...or make the whole lot in advance tonight and cook tomorrow

if I remeber right, you defrost for about 4 hours on the worktop or overnight in the fridge.

don;t see why not make filling tonight

thanks pointy dog

i cannot believe am getting so stressy about pastry! i have made two children, i;m sure i can do this !!

really, filo is fine. I'm no great cook.

Better to do the filling tonight, but make the parcels soon before cooking. Keeping them in the fridge, covered, for a few hours is ok, but it's just easier to make and then cook right away.

I don't bother with the clingfilm, but I do move quickly while making parcels.

I also find that the parcels always take a lot less filling than you'd think. Mine tend to burst sometimes, or leak. Still taste pretty good, though.

(I do filo parcels for my DSes birthday parties - no cutlery, reasonably child-friendly, easy choice of fillings. Oh, and I do a giant filo log dish as a vegetarian dinner party standard.)

I'm not a master chef either, filo really is easy. (shortcrust, on the other hand, gives me the wiggins)

giant filo log!

thanks so much , am loving 'wiggins'

yes, don;t overdo filling portion

The giant filo log is meant to be a variation on koulibiac, but bears no resemblance to it. Filo, filled with rice, mushrooms, leeks, feta, cheddar, currants and almonds. Oh, and herbs. You get a giant vegetarian roast type thing. Very tasty.

Now I feel pastry stress too and it's not even me doing it!!