Greek Food, Cooking and Recipe Community

How much butter on phyllo?

1 - 3 of 3 Posts
xmelissaa

xmelissaa

Active member
I've been making spanakopita, tiropita, and even baklava for years, but lately I've been running into a problem that I can't seem to figure out. The top layers of my phyllo have been coming out a little soggy instead of crisp and flaky. The filling tastes great, and the bottom layers bake up nicely, so I'm wondering if I'm using too much butter on the top sheets.

When you brush butter between the layers, how much do you actually use? Do you coat every bit of the sheet or just give it a light brushing? I'm also curious if anyone has experienced this from something other than too much butter, like trapped steam or baking temperature. I'd love to hear what works for everyone because this one has me stumped!
 
xmelissaa said:
I've been making spanakopita, tiropita, and even baklava for years, but lately I've been running into a problem that I can't seem to figure out. The top layers of my phyllo have been coming out a little soggy instead of crisp and flaky. The filling tastes great, and the bottom layers bake up nicely, so I'm wondering if I'm using too much butter on the top sheets.

When you brush butter between the layers, how much do you actually use? Do you coat every bit of the sheet or just give it a light brushing? I'm also curious if anyone has experienced this from something other than too much butter, like trapped steam or baking temperature. I'd love to hear what works for everyone because this one has me stumped!
Click to expand...
Hi!
I actually don’t brush butter over the entire sheet. I melt the butter, dip my pastry brush into it, and lightly drizzle it over the phyllo instead. I may brush a little around the edges, especially where the phyllo tends to dry out, crack, or tear, but I don’t completely coat each sheet.

I’ve found that this gives the phyllo enough butter to bake up crisp and flaky without weighing down the layers. So if the top is coming out soggy, I’d definitely try using a little less butter rather than brushing every bit of the surface.

I use this same technique in my baklava rolls, and you can see exactly how I do it here if it’s helpful, with step-by-step photos: Baklava Rolls
Voula
 
I’ve definitely had this happen, and I don’t think it’s always just a matter of using too much butter. I usually brush each sheet lightly rather than trying to completely coat every inch. You want enough butter to help the layers separate and crisp, but the phyllo shouldn’t feel saturated.

Trapped steam can also be a big culprit, especially with spanakopita or other fillings that contain a lot of moisture. I try to make sure the spinach mixture isn’t too wet before assembling, and I let hot fillings cool before they go anywhere near the phyllo.

I’ve also found that a properly preheated oven makes a difference. If the temperature is too low, the top can absorb moisture before it has a chance to crisp. For the top layers, I’d try a lighter hand with the butter first, then also look at moisture and oven temperature. It may be a combination of factors.
 
1 - 3 of 3 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

Is lamb or beef more traditional for giouvetsi?

I've been looking into traditional Greek giouvetsi recipes lately, and I'm curious about which meat is considered the most traditional. I've seen recipes that use lamb, others that call for beef, and even some that use chicken.

I love the idea of slowly cooking the meat in a rich tomato sauce with orzo until everything becomes tender and flavorful. However, I'm wondering whether lamb or beef would be the more authentic choice.

Is one traditionally preferred in certain regions of Greece? I've read that lamb is often associated with older Greek recipes, but beef seems to be very common in modern versions of giouvetsi.

I'm also curious whether the choice of meat changes the way the dish is prepared. Does lamb require different seasonings or cooking times than beef?

For those familiar with traditional Greek cooking, which version do you prefer, and which would you recommend trying first?

Do you make Greek lentil soup with vinegar

I’ve always made fakes with a splash of vinegar, either stirred into the pot near the end or added individually at the table. To me, that little bit of acidity is part of what makes the soup taste right, especially with the earthy lentils, olive oil, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.

But I have a Greek friend who makes hers very differently. She doesn’t use vinegar at all and instead adds quite a lot of tomato product, so her version is much redder and more tomato-forward than mine.

Now I’m curious about what is considered more traditional in Greek cooking. Is vinegar usually a standard part of fakes, or is it more of a regional or family preference? Are tomato-heavy versions just as traditional?

How do you make yours, and what did your family serve growing up?

Favorite Greek Cheeses Beyond Feta

Feta gets most of the attention when people talk about Greek cheese, but there are so many other varieties worth trying. I’m curious which Greek cheeses everyone enjoys most beyond feta.

Graviera is one of my favorites because it works so well on a cheese plate, grated over dishes, or just eaten with bread. Kasseri is another one I really like, especially melted. I’ve also been interested in trying more regional cheeses like metsovone, manouri, kefalotyri, and formaela.

Some Greek cheeses seem to be much easier to find outside Greece than others, so I’d also love to know which ones people regularly buy and where they usually find them.

What Greek cheeses do you keep coming back to? Are there certain ones you associate with a particular region, dish, or family tradition? And if someone has mostly eaten feta, which Greek cheese would you recommend they try next?

What herbs do you use when making Greek stuffed zucchini?

I've been thinking about making Greek stuffed zucchini (kolokithakia gemista), and I'm curious about which herbs everyone uses in the filling. I've seen quite a few variations, and it seems like the combination of herbs can really influence the overall flavor of the dish.

Some recipes use plenty of fresh dill and parsley, while others include mint or even a little oregano. I've also noticed that some people add green onions for extra flavor. I'm wondering whether certain herbs are considered more traditional, especially when making stuffed zucchini with rice and ground meat.

Do you use a combination of herbs, or do you prefer to keep the seasoning fairly simple? Does your family have a particular recipe that has been passed down through generations?

I'm especially interested in how the herbs complement the avgolemono sauce. What combination do you think gives Greek stuffed zucchini the best flavor?

How do you keep homemade spanakopita from getting soggy?

I've been thinking about making homemade spanakopita, and one thing I'm trying to figure out is how to keep it from getting soggy. I love when the phyllo is nice and crispy, but I know that spinach releases a lot of moisture, which can make that difficult.

I've heard that squeezing as much liquid as possible out of the spinach is important, especially when using frozen spinach. I've also heard that some people cook the spinach first to help remove excess moisture. I'm wondering if there are other tricks that make a difference.

Does the type of feta you use matter? What about the amount of olive oil or butter between the phyllo layers? I'm also curious whether the baking temperature makes a difference.

For those of you who make spanakopita regularly, what are your best tips for getting that perfectly crispy texture?
Sign up for a free account and share your thoughts, photos, questions about Greek food, travel and culture!

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top