Fantastic Filo Pastries Recipes

EASY DANISH FILO PASTRIES WITH FRESH BERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375˚F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly grease a muffin tin and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, using a hand-held mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the sugar and the softened cream cheese. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract and lemon zest and continue mixing until nice and smooth.
• Unwrap the filo pastry. Lay one piece on a clean surface and brush it with the melted butter. (*) If you are using the thicker, country-style filo, repeat with two more layers of filo. If you are using the thinner-style filo, repeat with three more layers. Using a 5-inch cutter, make 9 circles. Gently press the circles into the prepared muffin tin.
• Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between the 9 filo cups. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the fillo is golden brown and the filling is set. Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes (they will deflate slightly as they cool down).
• Prepare the lemon glaze by mixing the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Top the cooled filo cups with the fresh berries, drizzle with some of the lemon glaze and serve with extra berries on the side.

FILO ROLLS FILLED WITH CREAMY CUSTARD (SWEET BOUGATSA)

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a saucepan and add the orange zest. Bring to a simmer and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium pot. Stir in the semolina and mix with a wooden spoon until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the orange-infused hot milk, mixing well until thoroughly blended. Next, add the sugar and stir well until the mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat. Off heat, stir the mixture occasionally to keep the custard from forming a skin. Allow the custard to cool slightly.
• Beat the eggs and egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Add to the pot and mix well to combine - the mixture should have the consistency of a pudding. Cover well with plastic wrap and set the mixture aside until ready to use (at this point you can refrigerate it for up to four days for later use).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Open the box of filo and unwrap the sheets. Place on a work surface and cut the whole stack of filo sheets in half so that you are left with rectangular pieces, which measure approximately 9 x 13 inches.
• Lay 3 sheets of filo one on top of each other, brushing melted butter between each sheet. As you lay the sheets down, keep the shorter end facing you. Then, place about ⅓ cup of the custard mixture in the bottom center of the filo stack, approximately 1.5" from the edges. Fold the bottom edge of the filo over the custard and then fold in each of the sides, so the custard is fully covered by the filo. Flip the filo and custard over and away from you and brush the top with a little melted butter. Continue folding the strip of filo until you reach the end of your rectangle. At this point, tuck the end piece under the rest of the rolled filo and brush the top with butter. With the help of a spatula, transfer the filo roll to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have filled as many rolls as you want.
• Bake in middle rack of the oven for approximately 12-15 minutes or until light, golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly on a baking rack. Dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar and enjoy while still a little warm.

CRISPY FILO TART WITH SEASONAL VEG

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and pop in a baking sheet to heat up. Use a little of the oil to lightly grease an 18 x 25cm tart tin (ours was 3cm deep). Line the tin with a few strips of baking parchment - this will help you to lift out the tart later.
• Unfold the pastry, but keep it covered with a damp tea towel as you work to prevent it from drying out. Taking 1 sheet at a time, brush each piece well with oil, then use to line your tart tin, leaving a little pastry hanging over the edges. Sprinkle a thin layer of breadcrumbs between each layer of pastry as you go - this will help to keep the pastry crisp. When you get to the final layer, brush with a little extra oil and scrunch the edges together to create a pretty border.
• Toss the asparagus and courgettes with seasoning and the remaining oil and tip onto a baking tray. Place the pastry case on the top shelf of the oven, with the veg on the shelf below and cook for 10 mins.
• Remove the veg from the oven. Brush the tart with a little beaten egg and bake for a further 5 mins until the pastry is golden brown and crunchy.
• Whisk the remaining egg with the lemon zest, herbs, crème fraîche and seasoning. Lay half the veg in the bottom of the pastry case and add half the feta. Pour over the egg mixture, then top with the remaining veg and feta. Bake for 40 mins until the filling has set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Serve with a grinding of black pepper and scattered with small salad leaves or herbs, if you like.