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1
Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl and add the water with oil.
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2
Stir until forms soft dough, then knead in the bowl about 10 minutes.
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3
Dough will feel sticky at first, but kneading, it should develop into a dough that becomes smooth and satiny.
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4
When well mixed and smooth, wrap pastry in plastic wrap and leave it to rest at room temperature about one hour.
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5
If not all the dough is being used right away, wrap the unused portion and keep chilled in fridge up to a week.
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6
Always bring to room temp before using.
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7
Divide the pastry into 12 equal portions, shaping them into smooth balls.
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8
Cover with a cloth, except the one you're working with.
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9
Take a ball of dough, and shape it into a square.
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10
Place it on a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 6 inch square using rolling pin.
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11
Dust again with flour.
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12
Take the dowel, and place on one end of the pastry, and roll neatly onto the dowel, pressing firmly as you do so.
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13
Keep hands on each side of the pastry.
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14
Unroll the pastry and dust the work surface and pastry with a little flour, and roll up again from opposite side as before, exerting pressure as you go.
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15
Unroll carefully.
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16
After second rolling, the pastry should be about 10x12 inches.
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17
Using the back of your hands, place them under the pastry and stretch gently, moving hands to keep it even, working toward the edges.
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18
The edges can be given a final stretch with the fingertips.
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19
You should wind up with a pastry that's 14x18 inches in size.
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20
Place on a cloth, cover with wax paper and fold the cloth over the top.
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21
Repeat the above process with remaining dough balls, laying each on top of the previous one with wax paper between them.
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22
Use soon after making as they'll go sour if you keep them too long.
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23
If desired, you can roll them out more thinly.
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24
Repeating the dowel rolling process more will result in a thinner square each time.
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25
Phyllo can be used like a puff pastry when thicker, or it's wonderful in baklawa, lamb pastries, or many other mid eastern sweets when rolled very thin.
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26
In Greece, they'll often use phyllo as a crust for certain types of pies, such as spinach.
