Virginias Greek Tyropita Food

SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Cook spinach and drain out as much of the water as possible.
• Crumble feta cheese into a bowl; add eggs, salt, pepper, spinach, parsley, scallions and dill.
• Mix well.
• Butter a 13 x 9 baking dish and carefully layer 7 sheets of phyllo dough in dish, buttering each sheet with melted butter.
• Add filling, spreading evenly, and lay 7 more sheets of phyllo on top, buttering with melted butter.
• Butter the top sheet very well, paying attention to the corners.
• Cut through ONLY the top layers into desired sizes; bake in a preheated 350F oven for 1 hour, or until golden and well risen.

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.

TIROPITAKIA (MINIATURE GREEK CHEESE PIES)

Steps:

• Remove the filo pastry from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature about 1 hour.
• Make the filling by mashing the feta until it crumbles.
• Add to this the eggs, Emmenthal cheese, ricotta, parsley, mint and pepper and blend well.
• Cut each filo leaf into a strip 6 x 12" (15 x 30 cm).
• Brush each leaf with the melted butter.
• Fold the leaves in half lengthwise making strips 3 x l1" (6 x 30 cm).
• Again brush with butter and place 1 Tbsp.
• of the filling at the bottom of each leaf.
• Fold over to form a triangle (like you were folding a flag) and continue folding until the strip is completed.
• Repeat with each of the strips and place the completed triangles on a well greased cookie sheet.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush the tops of each triangle with butter and then with a mixture of the egg yolk and 2 Tbsp of water.
• Sprinkle over with the sesame seeds and bake in a medium oven until the pastries are golden brown and flaky (about 20- 30 minutes).
• Serve hot or cool.
• Yields 16- 24 pastries.

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.

VIRGINIA'S EXCELLENT GREEK SPANAKOPITA

Steps:

• Defrost, drain, and squeeze the spinach dry as possible and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet and add oil.
• Saute onion for a few minutes, just until they begin to get translucent, not brown.
• Add scallions and saute a few minutes longer.
• Add parsley and dill and saute for a few seconds.
• Season with pepper (she poured some into the cap of the pepper jar and dumped it in- she said approximately 1 tsp).
• Combine lightly beaten eggs, spinach,feta,Parmesan cheese, and the onions mixture in a large bowl, mixing gently until combined.
• Using a pastry brush,very lightly butter a large jelly roll pan (approx 11"x14")- it should be a large rectangular shape with fairly low sides.
• Set a sheet or two of phyllo pastry into the pan to evenly cover the bottom, and then brush very lightly with butter (she said to not go overboard with the butter).
• Repeat until you have 10 layers of pastry in the pan (if using #4 thickness; if using the thicker #7 size, then make 1 or 2 fewer layers).
• Spread spinach mixture evenly in the pan.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Meanwhile, layer another 10 layers of phyllo pastry on top, as before, folding and tucking in edges at the corners as you go.
• Using a clean spray bottle filled with some cold water, lightly mist surface- this will produce a crispy top layer.
• Using a sharp knife, cut into 24 squares.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour.

VIRGINIA'S GREEK TYROPITA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Combine cheeses, eggs,and season to taste with about 1 tsp of pepper, mixing well to combine.
• Lightly butter a large jelly roll pan or rectangular pan with low sides (about 11" x 14") and place a sheet or two of phyllo pastry to cover the pan.
• Brush lightly again with butter, then repeat until you have 10 layers (go easy on the butter).
• Spread filling evenly in pan.
• Top with another 10 layers of phyllo, tucking in and folding the corners, buttering each layer as before.
• Using a clean spray bottle filled with some cold water, gently mist the entire surface (this will produce a crispy top layer).
• Cut into 24 squares, then pop into the preheated oven and bake about 1 hour.