Most home cooks in Greece did not use the store bought thin sheets of phyllo, but they made their own, called horiatiko phyllo (village phyllo). A thick, crunchy phyllo made with olive oil. It is not an exact recipe, many cooks provide directions that are usually vague as everybody has their own recipe, which they have perfected. I have managed to figure out almost exact amounts for a great result.
This phyllo can be used for almost all pites (Greek pies) that one makes in a pan. There is no butter, so it is a crust that can be used in vegan recipes as well. Make sure the olive oil you use is fresh, stale olive oil will give off a bad flavor. I also add varying amounts of whole wheat flour, for a different texture and added fiber.
Easy Greek Homemade Traditional Phyllo
This traditional crust or phyllo, made with olive oil does not disappoint. Crunchy, hearty, a perfect crust for any pie.
Servings: 1 pie
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Ingredients
- 2 cups flour (I used about ¼ cup whole wheat flour and the rest white)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- ½ cup warm water
Instructions
- In a bowl add the flour and add the salt and mix.
- Make a whole in the middle and the add the olive oil and vinegar.
- Mix the dough with a wooden spoon , until the liquids have been absorbed. It will be dry and crumbly.
- Add some warm water and knead with your hands, add enough so that the dough is soft but not sticky. Knead until smooth.
- Separate the dough in two pieces and roll into balls. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
- On a well floured surface, roll out the two balls, with a thin rolling pin, in large circles so that they are large enough to cover the base of the pan and hang over the sides.
- Roll dough partially around the pin and place over your pan, gently. Brush with olive oil.
- Place your filling.
- Cover with second phyllo and join both phyllo sheets together twisting round the pan so it forms a border.
- Brush with olive oil.
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40 Comments
[…] food. You can make a big batch and either make your own phyllo with olive oil (get the recipe here) or use phyllo from the store (make sure there is no vegetable oils in the ingredients). I always […]
[…] the phyllo, I follow this recipe and I don’t know if you will ever see me write this again, but: I don’t change a […]
Love this dough. I made the leek and scallion pie. My husband says it’s a keeper. What other fillings work in this dough? Does the pie freeze well? It would be great to have it all done and put it in the oven on a busy day. I love your website and the recipes. I make my shopping list from them.
Thanks Savanna! This phyllo works for all greek pies (spinach pie, zucchini, onion, greens). Use the same technique as the leek pie but different fillings. Here is a link for the pies: https://www.olivetomato.com/recipeindexes/recipe-index/savory-pies-pites/
[…] recipe is made with the thin phyllo, (you can also make your own thicker phyllo using this recipe) feta and another fresh cheese. The phyllo which is called kroustas, does not contain any fat and […]
[…] at the store which usually contains only flour and starch or you can make your own (try my easy olive oil phyllo). For this recipe, I did stray a bit from a typical Greek pita by not using a top layer. Typically, […]
Hi Elena,
What is your take on American feta using pasteurized cow milk? I can’t seem to find traditional greek sheep or goat feta even in the big markets. Can it be substituted in your recipes with the same benefits?
Thanks,
I use this recipe always! Being an English woman living in Greece for nearly nineteen years, I think I know a good recipe when I taste it.I urge people not to become too clever over this, make the dough as explained without changing anything, if you are a person that knows food you will appreciate the end product, As for the thin rolling pin, wooden doweling is the same thing (any hardware store)!! Thank you so much for this post, I have an abundance of olive oil here and have spent a few years and many tears trying to make this dough, once again, thank you, you clever girl!
Thank you Paulina! And thanks for the tips!
[…] in this recipe is called phyllo kroustas, which I usually buy, however sometimes I’ll make homemade olive oil crust which is also called phyllo. That said, I’m always looking for ways to use phyllo as a […]
Haven’t tried it yet but looks delicious, will be trying it this weekend for Pasxa! How long do you suggest baking it for?
Maybe I did something wrong, it wasn’t crispy but more of a traditional pie crust, like an apple pie for example. I baked 350 45 minutes. Made spanakopita and filling was a bit wet maybe I didn’t squeeze spinach enough. Thoughts?
Hi Maria, Not sure what you mean by apple pie dough which is also somewhat crispy on top when baked. This is a thick dough, it won’t be as crunchy like the phyllo dough you get from the freezer. Also I see the baking time for your pie was not enough, you will need 1 hour of baking when using this dough. You can check the recipe for leek pie to get an idea: https://www.olivetomato.com/greek-leek-pie-with-homemade-phyllo-prasopita/
Olive and tomato pie looks delicious…But in UK we use .metric or ounces measurements. Would love to make it but don’t want to get it wrong. How much is in a cup of flour? Much appreciated
Thankyou.
Linda.
125 grams, according to Google!
Hi Linda, It is 120 grams by weight
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