Filo pastry

Keep the unused sheets under a clean, barely damp tea towel, with the stack still covered by its wrapper. A wet towel can make them sticky and tear them.

For crisp, distinct layers, lightly brush each sheet with melted butter or oil as you stack it. Use just enough to coat the surface; soaking the pastry can make it greasy.

Bake assembled filo parcels or pies at about 190°C until the pastry is crisp and deep golden, often 20–30 minutes. Thin parcels may cook sooner, so check them towards the end.

Thaw it in its unopened packaging in the fridge overnight, then let it come to room temperature while still wrapped so condensation does not dry the sheets. Unwrap it only when you are ready to work.

Use it for Greek spanakopita with spinach and feta, Turkish börek with savoury fillings, or baklava layered with nuts and syrup. Scrunched sheets also make a crisp topping for pies.

Yes, but the result will be thin and crisp rather than thick, flaky and risen. Brush and layer several sheets of filo to give a filling a sturdy case.

Yes: filo has 1.9 g of fat per 100 g, compared with 26.2 g in puff pastry. The amount of butter or oil added during preparation affects the finished dish.