Filo pastry is known for being a little tricky to work with but if you can handle it, these thin and delicate sheets of pastry are well worth the effort.
There is no doubt about it, being able to prep this pastry ahead of the time you need it would be useful so can you freeze filo pastry?
Yes, you can freeze filo pastry. Filo pastry can be frozen for around 1 month. Filo can be incredibly delicate so it’s important to handle filo carefully when placing it into the freezer to avoid tearing it.Ā
Do Does Filo Pastry freeze well? Sometimes
Can you refreeze Filo Pastry? No
How To Freeze Filo Pastry
If you want to simply freeze sheets of filo pastry then this is the method you’ll want to follow:
- Make Pastry
Make your filo pastry dough as you normally would. - Fold
Once the pastry is ready and rolled, sprinkle it with flour and layer the filo before folding it over and over. You could also roll it. - Wrap
Grab yourself some cling film and wrap the filo pastry around two to three times. You want to make the package as airtight as possible before freezing to protect it from getting damaged. - Bag Up
Pop the package of filo pastry into a freezer bag for extra protection, squeeze out any excess air and seal the bag tightly. - Label
Label the freezer bag with the date and the contents. - Freeze
Pop the pastry into the freezer.
How to Freeze Filo Pastry Parcels
This is another, yes, you can freeze these, but you may not want to sort of questions.
The pastry will harden and crack a little in the freezer so it wonāt be quite as good. However, you can freeze your prepared filo pastry parcels as long as the filling used can also be frozen.
- Make
Make and prepare your filo pastry parcels as you usually would right up till just before you would bake them. - Freeze
Pop the unbaked filo pastry parcels onto a baking sheet whilst making sure that they are not touching each other. Put this in the freezer and freeze for a couple of hours. - Wrap
Take the filo pastry parcels out of the freezer and wrap them individually in cling film. - Bag Up
Pop your wrapped filo pastry parcels into a freezer bag. - Label and Freeze
Label the bag with the date and pop it into the freezer.
3 Tips for Freezing Filo Pastry
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing filo pastry to have the best results:
Maybe Don’t Bother
One of the top tips for freezing filo is to not bother freezing filo. Unfortunately, it will not freeze well.
Try Making Parcels
Filo is difficult to freeze as sheets so one of the solutions is to make a ready-to-go filo pie. Although it won’t be as good as fresh, it does tend to hold up a little better than plain sheets.Ā
Cook Parcels from Frozen
If you have frozen filo parcels then cook them from frozen. Do not defrost them as the filling can turn the filo even soggier!Ā
How Long Can You Freeze Filo Pastry?
Filo pastry dough is a delicate dough and there is a danger of it drying out and becoming difficult to work with. With this in mind, you should only really freeze filo pastry for up to a month.
After this, the dough can become freezer burnt, damaged or difficult to work with.
You Can Freeze Filo Pastry for Around 1 Month
How Do You Defrost Filo Pastry?
To defrost filo pastry dough you need to be a little patient and allow it plenty of time to thaw out slowly. The best way to do this is by popping it into the fridge and defrosting overnight or for several hours until the pastry is completely defrosted.
If you want to cook filo pastry parcels that you have prepared and frozen then the best method to use is to not defrost it at all! Defrosting these can cause the filling to make the dough wet.
All you need to do is take the pastry parcels out of the freezer and pop them into the oven to cook as normal. Make sure they are cooked fully and piping hot throughout before serving.
Can You Refreeze Filo Pastry?
With such a tricky pastry to work with that, it is difficult to freeze once! So, we wouldnāt recommend you refreeze either the raw pastry dough, cooked filo or any pastry parcels or dishes you have cooked and want to freeze.
It is unlikely the filo pastry will survive the process and still taste great.
Does Filo Pastry Freeze Well?
Unfortunately, filo pastry doesnāt freeze particularly well. It can dry out and become cracked and difficult to work with. It may even become unworkable!
However, you can freeze the filo pastry dough before you roll it out and it should freeze well enough to use and cook with.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing filo pastry or filo in general, then these may help:
What’s the Difference Between Phyllo and Filo?
Can You Freeze Cooked Filo Pastry?
If you want to make a filo parcel or pie then why not try substituting the pastry for puff pastry which does tend to freeze a little better?
