Filo
Paper-thin dough perfected in Ottoman palace kitchens.
Filo (Greek: φύλλο; [ˈfilo]) or yufka (Turkish: [jufˈka]) is a very thin unleavened pastry dough used for making baked goods. Filo-based products are made by layering many sheets of filo brushed with oil or butter; the pastry is then baked. The paper-thin form of modern filo was developed in the Ottoman Empire by the 15th century, becoming the foundation for a variety of sweet or savoury pastries such as baklava and börek.
- type
- Pastry dough
- origin
- Ottoman Empire (by the 15th century)
- alternative_names
- Yufka (Turkish)
- key_ingredients
- Flour, water, oil
- primary_uses
- Baklava, börek, and other layered pastries
Lore & Background
The paper-thin form of modern filo was invented in the palace kitchens of Istanbul during the Ottoman Empire, where pastry chefs perfected a method for stretching sheets of dough into extreme thinness by the 15th century. The Oxford Companion to Food argues that the dough is of Turkish origin. The earlier origin of filo is unclear; several food historians suggest it evolved from yufka, a thin layered flatbread developed by Turkic peoples of Central Asia during the medieval period. Some credit the Greeks, citing a mention in Homer's Odyssey, while others note the Byzantine sweet koptoplakous, described as 'the same as Turkish baklava.' Food writer Aglaia Kremezi contends that ancient placenta cake was 'probably very different' from modern filo.
Reader's Guide
Filo's significance lies in its transformation from a nomadic flatbread into a refined, paper-thin dough that became central to Ottoman and Balkan cuisines. The Ottoman chefs' technique of rolling and stretching dough into translucent sheets enabled the creation of iconic pastries like baklava and börek, which spread across the empire and beyond. Its legacy includes influencing European pastries such as strudel, and it remains a staple in both sweet and savory dishes. The dough's preparation—requiring skill, a long rolling pin, and careful layering with oil or butter—reflects a culinary tradition that balances simplicity with precision. Today, filo is accessible globally in fresh and frozen forms, preserving a technique that dates back centuries.
Did You Know?
- The term 'filo' is borrowed from the Greek word fýllo, meaning 'leaf'.
- In Turkish, filo is called yufka, which means 'thin', deriving from Old Turkic yuvka.
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