Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (2024)

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//By Alexandra Stafford onApril 6, 2012 (updated July 16, 2020) Jump To Recipe

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Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (1)

Tiropitas, Greek cheese-and-egg filled phyllo triangles, are always a party favorite. What’s more, they’re not complicated and can be made ahead and stashed in the freezer, making them perfect to have on hand for entertaining.

When my freezer is stocked with frozen, unbaked tiropitas, I can rest easy knowing any guests will not starve if I’m still wrapping things up in the kitchen. Just pop the frozen triangles into the oven straight from the freezer, and 20 minutes later they’ll be done.

Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (2)

Red eggs for Greek Easter.
Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (3)

Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (4)

Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (5)

Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (6)

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Ella helps make biscotti, while I assemble tiropitas:
Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (8)

Graham bounces nearby:
Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (9)

Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (10)

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Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (11)

Tiropitas

  • Author: Alexandra Stafford
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 36 tiropitas
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb. feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 lb. cottage cheese, small curd
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 lb. fillo dough*, thawed
  • 1/2 lb. unsalted butter, melted

*Fillo comes in all shapes and sizes these days. The variety I can find, Athens brand, weighs 1 pound and contains two 8-oz bags of 20 sheets each measuring 9 x 14-inches. If your fillo comes in the larger sheets, cut it in half so that it’s roughly 9 x 14-inches. After you cut it, gently roll it up and place it in a ziploc bag.

Instructions

  1. Combine cheeses, eggs and salt in a bowl. Stir until blended.
  2. Set up your station: you need a large cutting board, a teaspoon (a measuring teaspoon), a brush, the melted butter, a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and the fillo dough. If you haven’t already, unwrap the fillo dough and place it in a ziploc back.
  3. Lay one sheet of fillo horizontally oriented in front of you on your cutting board. Brush it with butter. Run a knife down the piece of dough every two inches or so — this should yield six to seven strips. (See photo above.)
  4. Place one teaspoon of cheese mixture at the end of each strip. Fold over corner to make a triangle. Continue folding from side to side till you get to the end of the strip. (See photos above.) Place on prepared pan. Brush tops with butter. Repeat process until you’ve used up all of your filling.
  5. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool briefly before serving.

Notes

Note: If you’d like to make these ahead, place assembled (unbaked) tiropitas in the freezer. Either freeze the tiropitas in a single layer and then transfer them to a ziploc bag once they are completely frozen, or be sure to place a piece of parchment paper in between each layer of the tiropitas if you freeze them in a storage container. Bake frozen for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. I find mine take even longer than 20 minutes before they are golden, but my oven is very old.

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Greek

Keywords: tiropita, Greek, cheese, phyllo, triangles

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (12)

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    61 Comments on “Tiropitas”

  1. Daniel AnthonyReply

    yassas,
    My family Is from island of Crete. My mamas recipe. I love your version as well.
    12 ounce block of feta cheese cut into 4 even rectangles of 3 ounces each
    4 sheets phyllo dough
    2 tablespoons Greek olive oil
    2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    4 tablespoons honey
    1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    1 tablespoon water
    Fold one sheet of phyllo in half and placeone block of feta into the center. Fold into an envelop shape and place on a small baking sheet. Repeat with the other three blogs of feta.Brush each phyllo envelope with olive oil and sprinkle the sesame seeds evenly over all four of them. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake until golden. This should take about 15-20 minutes.
    While the feta packets are baking in the oven, mix the honey, vinegar, and water in a small dish. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over all four of the feta and phyllo packets right when it comes out of the oven.
    Also a tip for working with phyllo. You need 2 thin backing cloths. They need to be very lightly damp not wet at all think more as to keep cold not wet. Place phyllo in middle of cloths. Take one piece out at a time them place cloth back on top and repeat every time you work with a new piece. Hope this help😊 Αντίο

    • Alexandra StaffordReply

      THis sounds amazing, Daniel! Thanks so much for writing and sharing it. And thank you for your tip on working with phyllo, too. So helpful!

  2. BlancaReply

    Looks yummy!

  3. GinkaReply

    Fabulous! Salty, crispy little treats!

    • Alexandra StaffordReply

      Great to hear!

  4. Greek food loverReply

    Hi! Do you recommend lowfat or full-fat cottage cheese? Thank you. Can’t wait to try this recipe!

    • Alexandra StaffordReply

      I always use full fat 🙂

Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between spanakopita and Tiropita? ›

Like spanakopia, tiropita is also a savory Greek pie that's wrapped in a phyllo crust, but its filling is different than spanakopita. Instead of spinach, herbs, and feta, tiropita is filled with a mixture of cheese and eggs.

What cheese is Tiropita made of? ›

Ohhhhh I promise you that you're going to love this Greek Tiropita Recipe. Essentially these are little mini cheese pies. They're made with layers of butter phyllo and filled with a cheese and egg mixture. It can be very similar to Spanikopita but it's made with feta and a hard Greek cheese.

Why is feta cheese better in Greece? ›

Its unique history, tradition and geographic location distinguish Greek Feta from its cousins around the world. “The flora really sets this cheese apart from everywhere else in the Mediterranean,” Juhl adds. “There are more than 6,000 species of natural flora that are endemic—and they only exist in Greece.”

What does tiropita mean in Greek? ›

Tiropita or tyropita (Greek: τυρóπιτα, "cheese-pie") is a Greek pastry made with layers of buttered phyllo and filled with a cheese-egg mixture.

Why is spanakopita so good? ›

In my Spanakopita recipe, I love using a mix of feta and kefalotiri, scallions, dill, and mint. The salty, briny, and aromatic flavors make this pie incredibly delicious. In Greece, you can find Spanakopita in windows of street-side coffee shops and bakeries and more refined versions on restaurant menus.

What is the national cheese of Greece? ›

Feta, the national Greek cheese, is relentlessly nibbled at, be it with a winter salad of boiled bitter greens, or a main course of summer vegetables stewed in olive oil, or a midnight snack hand-in-hand with a slice of crisp, icy, sweet watermelon.

What is Greece's favorite cheese? ›

Graviera Kritis

Its taste is slightly sweet and nutty. This cheese matures for 3 to 5 months before being put on the market. It is the most popular Greek cheese next to feta, and it can be found almost anywhere outside of Greece's borders.

What kind of cheese do Greeks eat? ›

Feta: Feta is the most famous Greek Cheese. Greek Feta is made primarily of sheep's milk, but it is acceptable to blend in up to 30% goat's milk. Feta is a white brined cheese made in rindless squares or blocks.

Is it okay to eat feta cheese every day? ›

While feta cheese provides you with an excellent source of nutrients like calcium and protein, it also contains high amounts of sodium and saturated fat. Feta is lower in fat than many other cheeses, however, and is considered a reasonable option to eat in moderation.

Which is healthier, feta or parmesan cheese? ›

What's more, feta is lower in fat and calories than aged cheeses like cheddar or parmesan. One ounce (28 grams) of cheddar or parmesan contains more than 110 calories and 7 grams of fat, while 1 ounce of feta has only 74 calories and 6 grams of fat (2, 3, 4).

Why is feta cheese so addictive? ›

That's because most cheese contains fat, salt, and casomorphin, a triple threat that makes it inherently addictive.

What is tiropita made of? ›

What is this? To prepare this traditional tiropita recipe (Greek cheese pie) our feta cheese is crumbled and mixed with three different kind of cheese for extra flavour and then wrapped or layered in phyllo (filo) pastry, brushed with melted butter or olive oil and baked until golden and crispy perfection..

What are Greek appetizers called? ›

In Greek, appetizers are known as orektika (ορεκτικά) and pronounced oh-rek-tee-KAH). They can be hot or cold and are intended to whet the appetite for the meal to come.

How to eat Greek cheese? ›

It pairs well with fruit, like watermelon or peaches, but is equally as delicious with crunchy cucumbers or hearty collard greens. Feta is classically paired with olives, lemon, and fresh herbs like mint, but can also be used less traditionally like in our One-Pot Pasta Primavera with Bacon and Feta.

What Greek food is similar to spanakopita? ›

Tiropsomo is similar to spanakopita and tiropita as they use cheese as their main ingredient. But what differentiates this Greek street food is that the cheese is baked into light bread instead of filo pastry. Apart from feta cheese, tiropsomo uses unkneaded dough made from flour and milk.

What are the different names for spanakopita? ›

Savory spinach pie
Piece of layered variety of savory spinach pie
Alternative nameszeljanica, spanakopita, ispanaklı Selanik böreği, ispanaklı Boşnak böreği
Main ingredientsPhyllo, spinach (or leeks, chard, or sorrel), white cheese (mladi sir, or beyaz peynir, or feta, or ricotta), eggs, sometimes onions or scallions
5 more rows

Do Greeks eat spanakopita for breakfast? ›

Greeks also love eating pies for breakfast !

All kind of pies : tiro pita (cheese pie), spanakopita (spinach pie), kreato-pita (chicken meat pie), served in triangular pieces.

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