Make Tiropita
Tiropita (τυρόπιτα) are Greek cheese pastries which come in different sizes but primarily are baked on large pans, made from phyllo dough filled with feta cheese. They're a delicious and unusual appetizer or side dish.
Contents
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of feta cheese, drained of any excess liquid and crumbled.
- Lemon zest
- Ricotta cheese (optional)
- Nutmeg (optional)
- Toasted walnuts (optional)
- Honey (optional)
- Spinach (optional. Adding spinach makes these spanakopita)
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 or more cubes of butter
- 1 pound of filo pastry sheets. Completely thaw the filo in the refrigerator and in its packaging if it was frozen.
Steps
- Crumble the feta cheese. A pair of forks works well. Beat the eggs.
- Mix the beaten eggs into the feta. Refrigerate this filling mixture for about 30 minutes. The refrigeration step is optional, but it gives you time to prepare everything else.
- Melt the butter over low heat and keep it warm. You can clarify the butter by skimming off the white solids.
- Keep the butter warm in a small crock pot, over a very low flame, or by storing it in a heavy, ceramic pot. You can microwave it for a few seconds now and then to reheat.
- Unfold the filo and spread it on waxed paper. Measure the filo on the short side and decide if you will cut it into two, three, or four strips. It's better to have strips that are too wide than too narrow.
- Use clean scissors or a sharp knife to cut the filo sheets into strips about 4 inches (10cm) wide. You can cut a stack of several sheets at once.
- Folding the dough back along itself as you go can help to keep the cuts straight and parallel to the edge.
- Work with a moderate number of sheets at a time, perhaps a dozen or so. Roll extra sheets tightly in waxed paper and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to work with them. Filo that dries out tears much more easily.
- Spread a generous length of waxed paper onto a table and have the filling, melted butter, pastry brush, trays or baking sheets, and filo close at hand.
- Lay a strip of filo on waxed paper and brush it generously with warm, melted butter. The butter makes the filo bake to a flaky crisp. (In the photo, instead of waxed paper, there's a blue silicone baking sheet, for contrast.)
- Place one to two tablespoons of the feta mixture on one end of a strip of filo. You can eyeball the quantity according to the size of the strip.
- Fold the filo around the filling on a diagonal so that the corner meets the opposite edge.
- Fold the tiropita straight up, following the edge.
- Repeat the diagonal and straight folding until you reach the end. If there is a bit of extra, tuck it in or simply fold it around and stick it to the outside.
- This is the same fold used for the United States flag, after it has been folded in half twice.
- Brush the entire outside surface with more melted butter.
- Lay the tiropita on a baking sheet in a single layer with a little space in between them. If you are making the tiropita before an event, you can stack them between sheets of waxed paper and freeze them until you are ready.
- Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Frozen tiropita will take a little longer to bake than thawed ones. Serve hot.
Tips
- To pronounce "phyllo" (sometimes spelled "filo"), say FEE-low. To pronounce tiropita say "tee-ROH-pee-ta")
- Don't cheap out on cheese. The difference between amazing and mediocre tiropita is mostly the quality of the cheese.
- Leftover tiropita that are already baked are still good to eat, but the phyllo does not stay as flaky. Reheat them for 2 minutes in a 350 degree F oven to restore the crispness.
- If the feta is too tangy, you can mix in a little bit of ricotta or cottage cheese to taste, with excess liquid drained through cheesecloth. Drain excess liquid through cheesecloth so the resulting mixture is not runny.
- Eat tiropita with your fingers, but have napkins nearby and a plate underneath.
- Purchase the phyllo. It takes a lot of skill and table space to make it and roll it that thin.
- Thicker phyllo is a bit easier to work, but thinner phyllo makes a flakier crust.
- It is possible to make this dish without all the folding. Place five buttered sheets of phyllo on the bottom of the pan. Spread the egg and cheese mixture in a layer about a half inch (1.5 cm) thick and place another five to ten layers of phyllo on top. Butter each sheet of phyllo. Cut the top layer with scissors in lines straight across, then again in a diagonal shape. This gives the traditional diamond shaped cut. Adjust the baking time as necessary.
- When folding tiropita, resist the temptation to press or squeeze, especially on the empty corners. Leave loosely wrapped, and let the phyllo at the corners be hollow and flaky.
- If you aren't eating these immediately or you want to make them in advance, freeze them unbaked. Place them in a container, not touching each other. Layer them with waxed paper in between and wrap or cover them thoroughly.
- Try adding coarsely chopped walnuts for variety.
- Phyllo is delicate but forgiving. If it rips, brush it with a little extra butter, patch it with an extra piece, and gently keep on working. The tears won't show after it's baked.
- If the strip is too wide, you can fold one side in a bit, as shown.
Warnings
- Allow plenty of time for preparation and cleanup, especially if you are new at handling phyllo. This recipe will take some practice and patience to master, but it is well worth it.
- Handle raw egg and things containing it appropriately.
Things You'll Need
- A pastry brush
- A baking pan or cookie sheet
- Waxed paper
- Scissors or a sharp knife
- Mixing bowls
- A pot or bowl for the butter
- Trays for storing the tiropita if you will freeze them.
- Ample counter or table space. Clean your work surface thoroughly before and after making tiropita.
