Tiropitakia, the tiny triangle-shaped model of tiropita, are one of the crucial quintessential and beloved dishes in Greek delicacies. These feta hand pies are a scrumptious and chic appetizer that you would be able to simply assemble forward of time and maintain on the prepared in your freezer!
Picture Credit: Bella Karragiannidis
Tiropita (τυρόπιτα) is a savory Greek filo pastry manufactured from layers of crispy filo wrapped round a scrumptious creamy feta cheese and egg combination. You may kind them into particular person triangles (tiropitakia) or bake as a big filo pie and portion into smaller items (tiropita).
Identical to Spanish Tuna and Beef Empanadillas, these tasty bites are a breeze to make and their crust makes them good for meals on the go. Make forward for lunches all through the week, or function a simple appetizer. Plus, folding and shaping the triangles is a superb exercise for the entire household!
Substances for Tiropitakia
All through Greece, you’ll typically discover barely totally different filling variations relying on the regional cheeses out there. My model makes use of a mixture of two Greek cheeses and optionally available herbs for layers of tangy, creamy, savory, and recent taste. Listed here are the standard substances, in addition to their easy-to-find substitutions.
Feta cheese : The bottom for the filling is genuine Greek Feta, labeled “PDO” or “Greek feta” on the retailer (discover extra data on labeling within the “What’s Greek Feta PDO?” part). For this recipe, keep away from substituting with cheese labeled Greek ”-style” feta, because it lacks the true sharp and tangy taste of real Greek feta.
: The bottom for the filling is genuine Greek Feta, labeled “PDO” or “Greek feta” on the retailer (discover extra data on labeling within the “What’s Greek Feta PDO?” part). For this recipe, keep away from substituting with cheese labeled Greek ”-style” feta, because it lacks the true sharp and tangy taste of real Greek feta. Anthótiro cheese: In Greece, we add this farmhouse-style recent cheese to steadiness the sharp taste of the Feta. Complete milk cream cheese or drained ricotta, with its tangy taste and creamy consistency, makes for an excellent substitute should you can’t discover it.
In Greece, we add this farmhouse-style recent cheese to steadiness the sharp taste of the Feta. Complete milk cream cheese or drained ricotta, with its tangy taste and creamy consistency, makes for an excellent substitute should you can’t discover it. Egg: Binds the filling collectively.
Binds the filling collectively. Additional virgin olive oil : Brushed on the filo pastry as we kind the triangles. Use a high-quality olive oil, like our Koroneiki from the western coast of Crete.
: Brushed on the filo pastry as we kind the triangles. Use a high-quality olive oil, like our Koroneiki from the western coast of Crete. Filo : Additionally spelled “phyllo,” filo is a skinny, flaky, and delicate pastry dough that may be discovered within the freezer part of your grocery retailer. Filo is available in totally different widths. The commonest sizes are the thinnest sort (#4), and the medium-thickness filo (#7). You should use both one for this recipe. The usual measurement for every sheet, whatever the thickness, is 14”x 18”.
: Additionally spelled “phyllo,” filo is a skinny, flaky, and delicate pastry dough that may be discovered within the freezer part of your grocery retailer. Filo is available in totally different widths. The commonest sizes are the thinnest sort (#4), and the medium-thickness filo (#7). You should use both one for this recipe. The usual measurement for every sheet, whatever the thickness, is 14”x 18”. Salt and pepper: Seasoning enhances the flavour of each the filling and the dough.
What’s Greek Feta PDO?
Greek Feta cheese is acknowledged by the European Union as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) conventional product. Which means that to ensure that a cheese to be known as Feta, it must be made in outlined geographical areas of Greece. These areas are wealthy in biodiversity of the pure flora (wild vegetation and herbs) and have sure climate situations. It additionally refers to conventional strategies of manufacturing. PDO ensures a high-quality product.
Greek Feta cheese a mix of sheep and as much as 30 p.c goat milk, which is then saved in a brine for preservation and protected against publicity to air.
Feta cheese made exterior Greece is taken into account “Feta-style” cheese. It’s usually comprised of cow’s milk, which acks the salty, tangy properties of genuine Greek feta. For that cause, it has a totally totally different taste profile that I wouldn’t suggest for this recipe.
Find out how to Make Tiropitakia
Selfmade pastries could seem to be quite a lot of work, however this recipe couldn’t be simpler due to a easy filling and retailer purchased filo dough. And, there’s nothing fairly like heat selfmade tiropitakia, recent from the oven. To make:
Prepare: Take away a package deal of the thawed filo from the fridge and place on the counter for half-hour with out opening it. Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Take away a package deal of the thawed filo from the fridge and place on the counter for half-hour with out opening it. Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Make the filling: Crumble 8 ounces of feta right into a medium mixing bowl. Add the 8 ounces of anthotiro, cream cheese, or drained ricotta. Evenly beat a big egg and add, together with ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Stir gently to mix.
Crumble 8 ounces of feta right into a medium mixing bowl. Add the 8 ounces of anthotiro, cream cheese, or drained ricotta. Evenly beat a big egg and add, together with ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Stir gently to mix. Layer the filo: When the filo has sat for half-hour at room temperature, lay one sheet horizontally in entrance of you on a clear work floor and brush calmly with olive oil. (Cowl the remaining filo effectively with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel whilst you work.) Place a second sheet of filo on prime of the primary and brush with extra olive oil. Minimize the 2 layers crosswise into eight strips, each about 2-inches huge.
When the filo has sat for half-hour at room temperature, lay one sheet horizontally in entrance of you on a clear work floor and brush calmly with olive oil. (Cowl the remaining filo effectively with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel whilst you work.) Place a second sheet of filo on prime of the primary and brush with extra olive oil. Minimize the 2 layers crosswise into eight strips, each about 2-inches huge. Add the filling: Stir the cheese and egg combination yet one more time. Place one heaping spoonful on the finish of every filo strip.
Stir the cheese and egg combination yet one more time. Place one heaping spoonful on the finish of every filo strip. Fold it: Raise one nook of the filo and fold it over to surround the filling and make a triangle. Proceed folding back and forth till you get to the top. Brush it with some olive to safe the top.
Raise one nook of the filo and fold it over to surround the filling and make a triangle. Proceed folding back and forth till you get to the top. Brush it with some olive to safe the top. Brush: place the filo triangle on one of many ready baking sheets, seam-side down. Brush the highest with olive oil to maintain it moist.
place the filo triangle on one of many ready baking sheets, seam-side down. Brush the highest with olive oil to maintain it moist. Fold the remaining Tiropitakia: Repeat the method with extra filo dough till you will have used up all of the filling. Be sure to keep away from overstuffing, and brush every completed triangle with olive oil to stop drying.
Repeat the method with extra filo dough till you will have used up all of the filling. Be sure to keep away from overstuffing, and brush every completed triangle with olive oil to stop drying. Bake: Bake every pan till the tiropitakia are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Allow them to cool briefly earlier than serving.
Variation: Tiropita (Massive Filo Pie)
You should use similar important ingredient checklist to make Tiropita, a bigger pie that doesn’t require any particular person folding. To make tiropita, use a 9”x 13” x 2” baking pan. The filling for this model is barely totally different -– it must be looser and virtually pourable. To attain that consistency, add yet one more egg and about ¾ cup of entire milk (or cream to make it further decadent). To make Tiropita:
Prep the filo dough: Brush 12 sheets of filo with olive oil. Prepare 6 on the underside of a 9” x 13” pan. Preheat your oven to 350˚F.
Brush 12 sheets of filo with olive oil. Prepare 6 on the underside of a 9” x 13” pan. Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Add the filling: Unfold the filling evenly over the stack of filo.
Unfold the filling evenly over the stack of filo. High with filo: Layer the remaining filo on prime. Trim the additional filo across the pan and roll within the edges to kind a pleasant border.
Layer the remaining filo on prime. Trim the additional filo across the pan and roll within the edges to kind a pleasant border. Rating: Rating the highest into sq. items to make portioning simpler as soon as baked.
Rating the highest into sq. items to make portioning simpler as soon as baked. Bake: Bake the tiropita till golden brown, about half-hour.
Bake the tiropita till golden brown, about half-hour. Cool and slice: Enable to chill for 10 minutes, then slice into squares.
Ideas for Working with Filo Dough
Retailer purchased filo dough is straightforward, handy, and surprisingly high-quality. The paper skinny sheets could indicate that they are difficult to work with, however they’re really a breeze whenever you thaw them correctly. Listed here are some suggestions for working with filo dough:
Thaw the frozen filo dough within the fridge in a single day and never at room temperature. Thawing filo dough at room temperature or in a heat atmosphere may cause the dough to thaw too rapidly, leading to a soggy and difficult-to-work-with dough. Steadily thawing the filo dough within the fridge permits the dough to thaw evenly with out turning into too moist or sticky.
and never at room temperature. Thawing filo dough at room temperature or in a heat atmosphere may cause the dough to thaw too rapidly, leading to a soggy and difficult-to-work-with dough. Steadily thawing the filo dough within the fridge permits the dough to thaw evenly with out turning into too moist or sticky. Carry filo to room temperature for half-hour earlier than beginning to work with it. The filo ought to nonetheless be chilly, however a 30 minute relaxation will make it extra pliable.
earlier than beginning to work with it. The filo ought to nonetheless be chilly, however a 30 minute relaxation will make it extra pliable. Stop drying. Take away the filo from its package deal and the plastic sleeve solely whenever you’ve gotten every part prepared. Hold unused sheets lined with a bit of plastic wrap, topped with a kitchen towel whilst you work. On the finish, return any unused a part of filo again to its field and into the fridge. (See suggestions under for methods to use it.)
Take away the filo from its package deal and the plastic sleeve solely whenever you’ve gotten every part prepared. Hold unused sheets lined with a bit of plastic wrap, topped with a kitchen towel whilst you work. On the finish, return any unused a part of filo again to its field and into the fridge. (See suggestions under for methods to use it.) Don’t sweat the small rips. If the filo tears a bit whilst you work with it, it isn’t a giant deal. Filo could be very forgiving! The tears shall be hardly seen on the finish.
Find out how to Freeze Tiropitakia
Tiropitakia are the right make-ahead occasion appetizer. When you kind the triangles, you may brush on some olive oil, cowl effectively with plastic wrap, and refrigerate till you want them the following day.
For longer storage, freeze the unbaked tiropitakia. Prepare your unbaked filo triangles in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray. Place within the freezer till they’re fully frozen, then switch them to a freezer bag and return to the freezer for as much as one month.
To bake, place the frozen tiropitakia on baking sheets. Brush the tops with some olive oil and bake till golden brown, about 30-45 minutes.
Find out how to Serve Tiropitakia
Tiropitakia are the right deal with to get pleasure from at any time of the day. They’re scrumptious as a mid-morning snack, as a part of a brunch unfold, meze addition. They can be served as a chic starter at a cocktail party or as a lightweight meal subsequent to a conventional Greek salad.
These tasty bites are really irresistible. They’re often the primary meals to go throughout events. Make greater than what you assume you need and you may be grateful you probably did!
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