Phyllo

In Albanian, this savory spinach pie is called Byrek Mi Spinaq and, with its delicate layers of phyllo dough, spinach, and cream, it's a very popular dish. The pie can also be frozen after it is assembled and thawed before baking.

At your next dinner party, serve Moroccan chicken pie, an aromatic comfort food that defines "crowd-pleasing entree." Martha made this recipe on Martha Bakes episode 407.

This classic spinach pie is made with phyllo dough.

Serve this savory Greek pastry as part of an appetizer table at a gathering.

Speckled jelly-bean "eggs" in a crispy phyllo nest make for a sweetly seasonal dessert. Use kataifi, pre-shredded phyllo, which is sold frozen at Greek grocers and large supermarkets.

Crisp triangles of phyllo dough stuffed with a sweet filling of bananas and chocolate are delicious for dessert or as a snack.

This recipe makes enough curry paste for three potpies, so you'll have some extra. It can be frozen for up to three months. Keep it on hand to use in meat, seafood, or noodle dishes for a quick meal.

Crisp phyllo tops this traditional-with-a-twist savory Greek pie that boasts sharp feta, delicate spinach, and mild leeks. Cut into small squares and served at room temperature, this Spanakopita makes a terrific hors d'oeuvre.

This lighter version of the classic Greek dessert—phyllo dough layered with honey, apricots, and pistachios—is rolled to make it easier to prepare and serve.

Using an inverted baking sheet in the oven helps give the tart an extra-crisp crust.

The cilantro here is fragrant even after cooking, and the vegetables' sweetness is offset by the toasted spices. Roasting beets provides more intense flavor but requires peeling them raw, which can leave hands red; consider wearing gloves.

An updated take on a classic Spanakopita recipe, this cheese-free version is sure to please. With loads of spinach, clarified butter, and a flaky crust, it's an instant winner. Martha made this recipe on Martha Bakes episode 407.

B'steeya, a Moroccan specialty, is usually baked as one large "pie." Here, individual ones make delicious finger food.

In the traditional baklava, nuts are layered between buttered paper-thin sheets of phyllo. Instead, to save time, we rolled up the sheets and cut them crosswise into ribbons, which we then tossed with nuts and butter.

The perfect dessert: Phyllo rolls filled with the sweet taste of chocolate and the crunch of pistachio, plus a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

Instead of using pastry dough as the base of this tart, we stacked sheets of phyllo to create a crisp crust that is still sturdy enough to support a nut-and-fruit topping. For a different flavor profile, use skinned toasted hazelnuts in place of almonds, and apples instead of pears.

Look for salmon fillets that are the same size. We found that 6-inch-long fillets work well, leaving the perfect amount of phyllo to wrap the fish on all sides.

This is a delicious and filling dinner pie; use mild curry powder if you're afraid of too much heat.

Store-bought sheets of phyllo form the delicate crust in this stunning tart that feeds a crowd. Frangipane made with hazelnuts instead of the traditional almonds serves as the filling, and a tumble of fresh berries goes on top.

This traditional Mediterranean pastry makes a lovely ending to a holiday meal.

These crisp phyllo bundles are great as hors d'oeuvres or served with roasted chicken or fish.

Blistered shishito peppers are filled with a rich, salty mixture of feta and cream cheese, then wrapped in phyllo dough and baked until puffed and golden. A sprinkling of sesame seeds gives the finger food a wonderful nutty finish.

This ode to a classic Greek galatopita, or milk pie, will knock the socks off your friends who order pumpkin-spice everything. It's also the ideal project to start with if you're new to baking with phyllo: you simply brush sheets of it with clarified butter, scrunch them into accordion-like shapes, and arrange them in a spiral in the pan. This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Fruit Desserts: 100+ Ways to Savor the Best of Every Season ($24.49, amazon.com).

Frozen phyllo dough is available in most supermarkets. To keep it from drying out while you work, cover the dough you're not using with a damp kitchen towel.