Tiropita Recipes

TRADITIONAL TIROPITA - GREEK CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven at 350 F (180 C)
• Grease (with olive oil) a 9X13 inch (25X35 cm)casserole dish or pan
• In a large bowl smash the feta and anthotiro with a fork.
• Add the mint, dill and pepper and mix.
• In a small bowl beat the eggs and add them to the cheese mixture along with one tablespoon olive oil. Mix well.
• Prepare your working area so that you have space to spread the phyllo.
• Remove your first phyllo sheet carefully and spread it on the bottom of the pan. If it is too big you can scrunch it to fit. Brush with olive oil. I often use an olive oil spray bottle instead. Place the second phyllo on top of the first phyllo and brush with olive oil and continue until you have spread 6 sheets of phyllo.
• Spread the cheese mixture over the phyllo making sure it is spread evenly.
• Cover with 5-6 more phyllo sheets repeating the same process (brushing with olive oil). Make sure that you do not scrunch the final 2-3 phyllo sheets.
• Brush the top layer with olive oil and score. Cut only through the phyllo (not all the way down).
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds, splash a bit of water on top with your fingers and place in the oven.
• Bake for about 40 minutes. Lift side slightly to make sure the bottom is baked. Place on the bottom of the oven for another 5 minutes.
• Let it cool for 15 minutes and cut in pieces.
• Keep in refrigerator. You may reheat it at about 280 degrees or you can eat it at room temperature.

GREEK CHEESE PIE - TIROPITA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350* F.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Brush 2 sheets of phyllo with the melted butter and spread them gently in the pan, one at a time. The phyllo I use is purposely larger than my baking pan, so I can let the phyllo edges hang outside the pan as I will roll them over later. Take another 2 sheets and repeat the same process adding the phyllo so that the edges cover the rest of the pan. Make sure the phyllo edges are buttered as well. That way, they won't get dry by the time you roll them in.
• In a large bowl, mix well the crumbled feta, grated cheeses, Philadelphia, thyme, the eggs, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide the phyllo pack in half and set one half aside, covered with a damp towel, so it does not get dry. Brush one phyllo at a time with butter, crumple it and place in the pan. Repeat the process until all of the sheets of that half of the pack are done.
• Spread the cheeses mix evenly in the pan. Setting two phyllo sheets aside cover with the remaining half of the package in the same process as before. Brush with butter, crumple, and add to the pan.
• Cover pie with the two buttered phyllo sheets. Gently bring all the phyllo edges into the pan, fold them, almost creating a "phyllo border."
• Score gently with a sharp knife.
• Pour the milk evenly all over the pie. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 min or until cooked through, and the top is golden brown.

GREEK CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Mix feta cheese and eggs together in a bowl for the filling; set aside.
• Lay out 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface and brush liberally with olive oil. Top with another sheet and brush with oil. Repeat for a total of 4 sheets, but do not brush the top of the fourth sheet. Transfer the stack of oiled sheets to one of the greased cake pans. Drape over the bottom of the pan, trying not to be too perfect about it; you want some folds and wrinkles in the phyllo.
• Spread 1/2 of the filling over the phyllo in an even layer. Fold the overhanging phyllo over the filling, again letting natural folds and wrinkles occur. Loosely lay 1 sheet of phyllo over the top, brush with oil, and use the oiled brush to pat down the sides all around the circumference of the cake pan.
• Repeat with remaining phyllo, oil, and filling to assemble the second pie.
• Bake the cheese pies in the preheated oven until the tops are a deep golden brown, 45 to 60 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

TIROPITA

Steps:

• Melt 6 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon. Add the salt and nutmeg, stirring occasionally, until mixture is bubbly and thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Mash the feta cheese with a fork in a bowl and stir in the grated kefalotiri, beaten eggs, and parsley. Pour in the hot white sauce and mix well.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Line the buttered baking dish with a sheet of phyllo dough and brush it with melted butter; keep the remaining phyllo sheets covered with plastic wrap while you work. Repeat with half of the phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with butter, and letting them come up the sides of the baking dish. Pour in the cheese filling.
• Lay the remaining pastry sheets on top of the filling, brushing each with butter. Brush the top of the last sheet with butter and, with a sharp knife, score the top sheets into strips about 3 inches wide from one end of the baking dish to the other.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is golden brown and crisp, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut into squares and serve hot.

TIROPITA (GREEK SAVOURY CHEESE PIE)

Steps:

• Thaw phyllo dough completely.
• Melt the 6 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan.
• Whisk in the flour and cook slightly (1-2 minutes) to get rid of 'raw' flour taste.
• Slowly whisk in the milk.
• Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens.
• Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
• Quickly whisk the eggs into the sauce one at a time.
• Then stir in the cheese.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Butter a 13 X 9" Pyrex baking dish generously (you can also use a larger baking pan - the tiropita just comes out a little thinner, but is nicer for appetizer servings).
• Flatten phyllo dough and cover with a sheet of wax paper and a lightly dampened towel (to avoid drying out).
• Take one sheet at a time and place in baking dish.
• Brush phyllo generously with butter.
• Use about 6 sheets this way and then add 1/2 of cheese filling.
• Layer 3 more sheets of phyllo (brushing each one with butter) and then top with remaining cheese filling.
• Finally, layer 6 sheets of phyllo over top (brushing each one with butter) and fold in the edges to make the tiropita look neat.
• Brush top generously with remaining butter.
• Score top of phyllo carefully with the point of a sharp knife, just cutting through pastry (only cut through the top layers of pastry, do not cut all the way down to the bottom layer), into the size of pieces you will want to serve.
• Make sure you don't cut right through pie.
• Bake for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until golden brown.
• (Make sure bottom crust is nice and golden- if it isn't- put it directly on floor of oven for about 10 minutes to brown faster. You don't want a soggy, uncooked bottom pastry).
• Variation: I often add 8 oz. of a good-quality, chopped, smoked ham to the cheese filling.

TRADITIONAL TIROPITA RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Crumble the feta into a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese, eggs, dill, if using, salt, and pepper and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. The filling will be slightly chunky from the feta.
• Use a pastry brush to lightly grease an 11½ x 9-inch (27 x 22 cm) baking dish with a thin layer of melted butter. Place a sheet of filo dough over the bottom of the pan (the edges will hang over the sides of the pan slightly) and brush with more melted butter. Repeat with 4 more sheets of filo.
• Spread the filling over the filo in an even layer. Fold the edges of the filo over the filling (this will ensure the filling will not spill out during baking.
• Cut the remaining 3 sheets of filo in half crosswise. Stack each half-sheet of filo over the filling, brushing each layer with melted butter. Tuck the sides of the filo around the filling. Brush the top layer of filo with any remaining melted butter.
• Bake the tiropita for 40 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes.
• Cut the tiropita into 9 pieces and serve.
• Enjoy!