Tiropita Greek Cheese Pies Food

TRADITIONAL TIROPITA RECIPE (GREEK CHEESE PIE WITH FETA)

Steps:

• If you choose to prepare this Greek tiropita recipe with commercial phyllo dough, it is important to thaw completely the phyllo dough by putting it in the fridge from the previous day. For the beginners at working with phyllo, check the handling tips before starting.
• Prepare the filling for the tiropita. This traditional tiropita recipe, calls for three different kind of cheese for extra flavour! Use a fork to crumble the feta cheese into a large bowl and add the beaten eggs along with the rest of the grated cheese and heavy cream. Chop some fresh mint and add to the mixture. Season with freshly ground pepper and blend well with a spoon. Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
• For this tiropita recipe you will need a large baking tray, approx. 20*30 cm. Using a pastry brush, butter the bottom and sides of the tray. Place one sheet of phyllo at the bottom of the pan and with a cooking brush sprinkle some olive oil or melted butter. Repeat the procedure, adding 4-5 more sheets of phyllo dough. You will use 5-6 phyllo sheets for the bottom of the tiropita.
• Pour in the feta cheese mixture and smooth with a spatula. With a knife trim some of the excessive phyllo, and fold the excess phyllo sheets flaps over the mixture. Top the tiropita with 4-5 more phyllo sheets, making sure to oil or butter each one, before adding the other; roll in the edges. Brush the top with oil or butter, sprinkle with water and sesame seeds. If using commercial phyllo dough to make this tiropita recipe make sure to scar the top with a sharp knife, to help release the steam.
• Bake the tiropita in a preheated oven at 180C for 45-50 minutes, until the phyllo is crisp and golden. Let it cool down for a while before serving. Enjoy!

GREEK FETA CHEESE TRIANGLES RECIPE (TIROPITAKIA)

Steps:

• For the beginners at working with phyllo, check the handling tips before starting.
• To prepare the tiropitakia, start by preparing the filling. Crush the feta cheese into a large bowl and add the grated cheese, the egg, a splash of milk, the yoghurt and season with freshly ground pepper. Mix well with a spoon to combine the ingredients. (At this point you can add some chopped fresh herbs if you like; some fresh dill or mint will surely lift the flavour).
• Preheat the oven at 180C and start preparing the tiropitakia.
• Spread one sheet of the phyllo dough on the kitchen counter and with a cooking brush drizzle with some melted butter or olive oil. Spread one more sheet on top and drizzle with some more butter.
• Cut the sheets into three or four lanes (depending on if you like the tiropitakia to be small or larger). At the end of each lane add one tablespoon of the filling. Fold one corner to form a triangle and continue folding the triangle upon itself, until the entire piece of phyllo is used. Continue with the rest phyllo sheets and filling.
• Oil the bottom of a large baking tray, place the tiropitakia and brush them with some melted butter on top. Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 25-30 minutes, until golden and crispy.
• Serve this delicious Greek feta cheese triangles as a great starter with some Greek salad aside.

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.

TIROPITA (GREEK CHEESE PIES)

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl, mix together the cheeses. Taste and add a pinch of salt as necessary.
• Add the eggs and mix well.

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 - 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.

TIROPITA: A GREEK-STYLE FETA CHEESE APPETIZER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C)
• Mix the cheese and eggs together in a bowl until well-combined.
• Decide what size appetizer you would like and cut the puff pastry into equal sized pieces (use the phyllo as directed on the package). Place a spoonful of filling onto the pastry, and wet the edges.
• Fold the pastry over and seal with the tines of a fork.
• Place onto lined baking sheet and brush with some slightly beaten egg white.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

TIROPITA - GREEK CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat; blend in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with wire whisk or wooden spoon. Add salt and nutmeg, stirring occasionally, simmer for 5 minutes, or until white sauce is thick. Cool.
• Mash feta cheese with a fork and combine with the grated cheese, well beaten eggs, parsley and white sauce.
• Butter a 9X13 inch baking pan.
• Line with half the pastry sheets, brushing each sheet with butter, and letting them come up the sides of the pan.
• Pour in the cheese filling and cover with the remaining pastry sheets, brushing each sheet with butter.
• Brush top with remaining butter and, with a sharp knife, score the top sheets into strips about 3 inches wide from one end of the pan to the other. Bake in a moderate oven until golden, about 45 minutes.
• Cut into squares and serve hot.

TIROPITA (GREEK CHEESE PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Lightly beat the egg and add the cheeses. Mix them together well and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350F/175C and line a large baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment.
• Melt the butter and get your pastry ready, keeping unused sheets covered with it's wrapping or under a damp cloth.
• Lay a sheet of pastry on a dry surface, brush lightly with butter and top with another sheet of pastry. Brush this sheet with butter and top with a third sheet of pastry.
• Cut the pastry in to 6 strips, around 2 1/2in (6cm) wide (so their length is the short width of the filo sheet).
• Put a tablespoon of the cheese mixture at one end of each strip, fold over a corner in a triangle then continue folding over the triangle to use up all the pastry. Seal the end with more butter.
• Transfer each triangle to a lined baking sheet, folded edge down, and brush with more butter.
• Repeat with the rest of the pastry strips, then with more sheets to use all the cheese mixture.
• Bake the pastries for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

GREEK FETA CHEESE PIE (TIROPITA) WITH PHYLLO

Steps:

• To prepare this Greek Feta cheese pie (Tiropita) with phyllo start by buttering the baking dish and preheating the oven to 180c or 356F. Melt the butter and set it aside. Whisk three eggs and set them aside too.
• To prepare the filling, in a mixing bowl, combine crumbled Feta cheese, greek strained yoghurt, melted butter, sunflower oil, whisked eggs and seasoning. Should you wish to taste the seasoning on the filling, do so prior to adding the whisked eggs. Remember that tanginess of Feta differs between brands, and you may wish to add more salt. Mix the ingredients until combined.
• Lay two phyllo sheets on the bottom on the baking dish side by side making sure the bottom and the sides of the baking dish are covered. Set aside one phyllo sheet for the outermost pie layer. Take a couple of tablespoons worth of filling and spread it evenly all over the phyllo sheet. Repeat the process until you have run out of either filling or phyllo pastry sheets. Lay the last phyllo sheet on the pie tucking in the corners.
• Prepare the egg wash by whisking an egg with one tablespoon of water. Pierce the pie evenly and brush with the egg wash. Lay evenly the diced butter on the top phyllo. Bake the Greek Feta cheese pie (Tiropita) with phyllo at 180C (360F) for 55-60 minutes. Cover with foil at around 35 minutes to achieve a nice golden colour.
• Kali Orexi!