You have to work quickly with filo pastry otherwise it dries out – it’s best to keep it in the plastic wrapping or cover it with a damp cloth while you’re working with it. The layers are usually brushed with melted butter or oil to help them brown. Filo pastry can be fried or oven-baked and cooks very quickly. It's used to make a wide variety of sweet and savoury dishes, such as Greek spanakopita (spinach and cheese triangles) or decadent baklava (honey and nut pastries).
