Is puff pastry the same as phyllo dough?

No. Puff pastry is a laminated dough, meaning it is made up of layers of alternating dough and butter that puff up when baked creating a light, flaky, airy texture. Phyllo dough is ultra-thin sheets that you can layer (or fold like in this recipe) and brush with butter creating a crisp, delicate crunchy result. Puff pastry is tender and rich while phyllo dough is light and crisp.

How do I keep phyllo dough from drying out?

Unroll the sheets of phyllo dough and remove one sheet at a time. Immediately recover remaining sheets until ready to use.

I usually layer multiple sheets of phyllo dough with butter, why isn't that the method used here?

Many recipes do call for layering sheets of phyllo dough with butter between each sheet to give a crispy, flaky texture. Since we are folding the phyllo dough many times over on itself, we'll get that same crisp, flaky texture in our feta bites.

Easy Baked Feta Bites in Phyllo Dough

Description

These crispy, savory feta cheese appetizers are a simple yet impressive appetizer your guests will love. With only 4 ingredients, they come together in about 45 minutes - perfect for entertaining with low stress.

Ingredients

Scale

8 ounce crumbled feta
2 Tablespoons hot honey
8-10 Phyllo sheets
2 Tablespoons melted butter

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F.
Keep phyllo sheets covered until ready to use as they dry out very quickly.
Lay out 1 sheet of phyllo dough and cut into 3 strips lengthwise, they should be approximately 3 inches wide by 10-12 inches long. Work with one sheet of phyllo dough at a time and keep the others covered with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
Add 1-2 teaspoons of feta cheese near the bottom corner of the strip, leave a little space around the cheese so it doesn’t spill out when folding.
Drizzle hot honey over the feta.
Fold the bottom corner of the phyllo strip up and over the filling to meet the left edge, forming a triangle. Line up the edge of the pastry with the side.
Now, fold the triangle upward, keeping the triangle shape (like folding a flag).
Keep folding the triangle from side to side and up until you reach the top of the strip.
Brush the top edge with melted butter and fold over the other dough to seal pastry together.
Brush top of phyllo triangle with melted butter and place on a lined baking sheet.
Repeat with remaining phyllo dough strips and feta cheese until all the cheese is used.
Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
Remove from oven and serve warm with a dish of hot honey or fig jam on the side.

Notes

Substitutions and Additions. Use block feta instead of crumbled. Cut the block into ¼” thick slices and cut each slice to fit inside the strips of phyllo dough. Add herbs, red pepper flakes, chopped spinach, roasted red peppers, or chopped chicken to the cheese mixture. Sprinkle herbs, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds on top of the folded phyllo triangle after it's brushed with butter.

Prepare up to 1 day in advance and keep unbaked bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To prevent drying, place a slightly damp towel over them before sealing the container. Bake just before serving. You can also bake in advance, refrigerate, and reheat in a 350°F oven until hot and crisp.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 triangle
Calories: 52
Sugar: 1.6 g
Sodium: 103.9 mg
Fat: 2.9 g
Trans Fat:
Carbohydrates: 4.8 g
Protein: 1.6 g
Cholesterol: 9.4 mg