Air Fryer Filo Pastry: Can You Do It?

Filo pastry is a versatile ingredient that can be used to make a variety of dishes, from savoury pies and parcels to sweet pastries. An air fryer is a great way to cook filo pastry, as it can create a crispy and flaky texture without drying out the pastry. Air fryers are also convenient because they cook food much faster than a traditional oven. When cooking filo pastry in an air fryer, it is important to keep the pastry covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out, and to cook the pastry in batches to ensure even cooking.

Air fryer samosas with filo pastry

Yes, you can cook filo pastry in an air fryer. In fact, cooking filo samosas in an air fryer is a healthier alternative to deep-fried samosas, with less oil and mess!

Ingredients:

• Filo pastry
• Potatoes
• Peas
• Cumin seeds
• Chilli powder
• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Garam masala
• Sea salt
• Coriander
• Oil for brushing/spraying

Steps:

First, prepare the filling. Peel and chop the potatoes into small cubes and boil them in salted water until tender. This should take about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds, chilli powder, and turmeric, stirring until sizzling. Add the peas and potatoes, stirring until coated in the spice mixture. Finally, add the ginger, garam masala, sea salt, and coriander. Set the filling aside to cool and transfer to the fridge if necessary.

Next, prepare the filo pastry. Cut the filo sheets into strips, ensuring the width is around 3-4 inches. Place two tablespoons of filling about an inch from the edge of the filo strip. Fold the sides of the pastry over the filling, brushing with melted butter or oil as you go, and roll into a triangle-shaped parcel. Repeat this process until you have used up all your filling and pastry.

Preheat your air fryer to 180C/350F. Lightly brush or spray the samosas with oil and place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Air fry for 10-12 minutes at 180C, turning them halfway through, or for 5 minutes at 200C until golden brown and crispy.

Tips:

You can make the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The samosas are best served immediately, but if you brushed them with oil, you may want to blot excess oil with kitchen paper. Serve with a variety of chutneys, such as mint-coriander chutney, or raita.

Air fryer zucchini and cheese phyllo pies

Yes, you can cook filo pastry in an air fryer. In fact, cooking filo pastry in an air fryer is a great way to ensure it comes out crispy and golden.

Ingredients

• Zucchini
• Butter
• Garlic
• Parsley
• Dill
• Oregano
• Chilli
• Salt and pepper
• Egg
• Yoghurt
• Grated cheese
• Phyllo pastry
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Method

• Melt butter in a large non-stick pan and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for about another minute over low heat.
• Add the grated zucchini to the pan and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Add the chopped parsley, dill, oregano, chilli, and salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cool.
• In a bowl, lightly beat the egg and yoghurt and then add the grated cheese.
• Add the cooled zucchini mixture to the cheese and yoghurt mixture and set aside in the fridge to firm up for about an hour. This can be made in advance.
• When you are ready to bake the pies, gently remove two sheets of phyllo pastry from the packaging – cover the remaining pastry with a clean, damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out.
• Separate the pastry sheets and lightly brush one with melted butter, then place the unbrushed sheet on top.
• Cut the pastry sheets vertically into four equal pieces or, if you want to make smaller pies, five pieces.
• Brush the strips with butter, leaving the bottom bit where the filling goes unbrushed.
• Place a dollop of the cheese and zucchini mixture (about a dessert spoonful) at the bottom end of each piece of pastry and fold over to form a triangle.
• Continue to fold the parcel over as you work your way up the strip of pastry, maintaining the triangle shape. Repeat with the other sheets of pastry.
• Lightly brush all sides of the triangle pies with melted butter.
• Preheat the air fryer to 180C/350F and depending on the size of your basket, cook these in 2–4 batches for 12–14 minutes until golden. Check after 12 minutes.
• Enjoy on their own or with tzatziki on the side to dip.

Tips

• You can get creative with the filling, adding flavour combinations and herbs that you like.
• The filling can be made in advance and chilled if you prefer.
• You can freeze the phyllo pies after they are rolled. Lay them on a flat tray, cover and freeze them until solid. Once solid, you can place them into a Ziploc bag stacked together.
• To bake these in an oven, preheat to 180C/350 F and place the pies on a lined baking sheet, brush with melted butter and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Air fryer apple pie filo pastries

Yes, you can cook filo pastry in an air fryer. In fact, cooking filo pastry in an air fryer is a great way to achieve a crispy texture without drying out the pastry, which is more likely to happen in an oven.

These Air Fryer Apple Pie Filo Pastries are light, crispy, and flaky pockets of buttery yum! The key to working with filo pastry is to keep the pastry covered while you work. You can make these pastries in triangle shapes or small hand pies.

Ingredients:

• Filo pastry (fresh or thawed frozen)
• Butter
• Apples (finely cut)
• Brown sugar
• Lemon juice
• Tapioca flour (or all-purpose flour or corn starch)
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Ground cloves
• Salt

Steps:

• Prepare the apple pie filling by combining apples, brown sugar, butter, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt in a nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until the apples have softened, about 5 minutes.
• Unroll the filo pastry onto a clean counter, tea towel, or parchment paper.
• Place about 1/3 cup of apple pie filling in the middle of the filo sheet, about two inches from the bottom.
• Fold the bottom of the filo sheet on top of the apple pie filling.
• Fold one-third of the length of the pastry over the filling, and then fold the other side over, creating a long column.
• Fold up the filling from the bottom to form a triangle, and then continue to fold like you are folding a flag, stopping once or twice to brush the pastry with butter.
• Once the triangle is completely folded, brush the entire triangle with butter and sprinkle with sugar if desired.
• Preheat the air fryer to 160-190°Celsius.
• Place two or three pastries in the air fryer basket and cook for about 6-8 minutes, checking halfway through.
• Remove the pastries from the air fryer and repeat with the remaining batches.

Your Air Fryer Apple Pie Filo Pastries are now ready to serve! Enjoy these buttery, flaky, and crispy treats!

Air fryer chicken and mushroom filo

Yes, you can cook filo pastry in an air fryer. In fact, cooking filo pastry in an air fryer is a great way to achieve an even crispier texture than you would get from baking it in an oven. Filo pastry is versatile and can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes.

This recipe for chicken and mushroom filo combines the savoury flavours of chicken and mushroom with the golden crunch of filo pastry. It is a hearty and comforting dish that is perfect for a midweek meal or a fancy weekend dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of filo pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator if frozen
• 1 chicken breast
• 200g of mushrooms
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of butter
• 1 teaspoon of parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

• Dice the onion, chicken, and mushrooms into small pieces.
• In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced chicken, mushrooms, garlic, and onion to the pan. Cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is sealed, stirring occasionally.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, then stir to combine.
• In a small bowl, mix the cooked mixture with the butter and lemon juice. Add the parsley and stir until combined.
• Let the mixture cool.
• Cut the filo pastry into your desired size. Spoon the cooled mixture onto the filo pastry.
• Wrap the filo pastry around the mixture, shaping it into a parcel. Brush the filo parcel with the beaten egg.
• Preheat the air fryer to 200°C or 390°F, which usually takes around 3 minutes.
• Place the filo parcel into the air fryer basket, ensuring it doesn't overlap with other parcels (you may need to cook in batches).
• Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the filo parcel is golden and cooked through.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Note: The cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer, so adjust the time accordingly if your machine runs hotter or colder than average.

Air fryer spinach and feta filo parcels

Yes, you can cook filo pastry in an air fryer. In fact, cooking filo pastry in an air fryer is a great way to achieve a crisp and flaky texture.

Ingredients:

• Filo pastry (phyllo)
• Spinach
• Feta cheese
• Butter or oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Egg
• Fresh herbs (parsley, dill, mint, oregano)
• Seeds (optional)

Method:

• Prepare the filling by cooking the onion and garlic in butter or oil until softened and golden. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly.
• Squeeze the excess water out of the spinach, then add to the bowl along with the beaten egg and mix well.
• Add seasoning, then stir in the crumbled feta cheese and herbs.
• Spray a sheet of filo pastry with oil, then layer a second sheet on top. Cut in half lengthwise to create two strips.
• Place a spoonful of filling at the top of each strip and fold diagonally to create a triangle. Continue to fold down the length of the pastry to create a parcel. Repeat with the remaining filling and pastry.
• Spritz the parcels with oil and scatter with seeds, if desired.
• Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Place the parcels in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded.
• Cook the parcels for 12-14 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
• Serve the parcels as a light meal with a mixed salad, or enjoy them as a snack.

Tips:

• Fresh spinach is recommended, but if using frozen spinach, be sure to thaw and squeeze out the excess moisture.
• For a lighter option, use a spray bottle with light olive oil instead of melted butter.
• Do not overfill or roll the parcels too tightly, as they may split during cooking.
• The filling can be made in advance and chilled until ready to assemble and cook the parcels.

Frequently asked questions