Flaky pastry is generally easier to make than puff pastry, but requires the same rolling and folding technique. This is my version of the flaky pastry, with Feta cheese in the dough itself. I love the tanginess the Feta gives, it makes the pastry very delicious in both savoury and sweet versions. Important thing to keep in mind is to make sure you do not handle the dough too much with your hands and keep all the ingredients as cold as you can, it will make the process easier. As all the ingredients are cold, the warmth of your hands can make the butter melt a little bit, and make the dough sticky. And don't fear the honey in the recipe, it will not make the pastry sweet, it just balances the richness of Feta.
Ingredients
For the flaky pastry
400 grams plain flour
120 grams butter, cold
120 grams Feta cheese
1 medium egg
1 tablespoon runny honey
120 ml whole milk, cold
2 teaspoons dried yeast
½ teaspoon salt
For the filling
250 grams Feta cheese
Preparation
Take your cold butter and dice it, then place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Place the Feta cheese in a large bowl, mash it slightly with a fork, then add the egg and blend really well with an electric mixer on medium. Add the honey and salt and blend again. Set the bowl aside. Sift half of the flour into a large bowl and add the cold butter. Rub the butter into the flour using your fingers or a pastry blender, until it is completely incorporated. Once a fine mixture forms, add a bit more flour and combine it well. Add the butter and flour to the Feta mixture, add the yeast, and blend it well with an electric mixer on low. Drizzle in the cold milk and blend one more time with a mixer. Sift in the rest of the flour and quickly form a dough with a wooden spoon or a very sturdy spatula.
Turn the dough out on a floured surface and gather it with your hands, pat it down and roll it out to about 5 millimetres thick (¼-inch). Brush any excess flour off the dough surface, then fold each outer fourth to the centre. Fold it like a book (to get one long rectangle), roll it further with a rolling pin, then fold it in the same fashion as before. Once you get a perfect square of cold dough, place it on a platter, wrap it well with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge overnight. Make sure it is wrapped really well, because any exposed areas will dry out.
Next morning, take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit on a floured surface for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how warm your room is. Roll it out to about 5 millimetres thick and cut out rectangles in desired size. Make sure you cut out an even number of pastry pieces. Gather the scraps into a dough, roll it out and repeat. Than take one piece of the dough, place a bit of Feta in the centre, brush the edges with water, then cover it with another pastry piece. Press the edges with a fork to make sure nothing leaks out during the baking and place it on a large baking sheet lined with baking paper. Let them rest and rise slightly, for about 15 minutes, then bake in a preheated oven, at 200˚C (400˚F), for 12-15 minutes. Yields about 800 grams (28 oz) of flaky pastry.
