Tiropitakia, often called little cheese pies, are a delightful Greek appetizer or snack that combines crispy phyllo pastry with a flavorful cheese filling. Originating from the island of Crete, these bite-sized treats are a staple in Greek cuisine and have become popular worldwide. Made with simple ingredients like feta cheese, eggs, herbs, and spices, tiropitakia offer a perfect balance of flavors and textures. This article presents three variations of tiropitakia: the classic version, a spinach-feta filling, and a zucchini-feta filling. Whether you prefer the traditional taste or enjoy experimenting with different fillings, these recipes provide a delightful experience for any occasion. Join us as we explore the art of making tiropitakia and discover the secrets behind their irresistible charm.
Here are our top 3 tried and tested recipes!
GREEK FETA CHEESE TRIANGLES RECIPE (TIROPITAKIA)
A delicious traditional Greek Tiropitakia recipe, the perfect little treat for any time of the day! For this Greek feta cheese triangles recipe the feta cheese is crumbled and mixed with two different kind of cheese and then wrapped with phyllo pastry, forming a triangle, brushed with melted butter or olive oil and baked until golden and crispy, to perfection.. Simply delicious!
Provided by Eli K. Giannopoulos
Categories Appetizer
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 10
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.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 piece, Calories 93kcal, Sugar 0.6g, Sodium 226.4mg, Fat 5.7g, SaturatedFat 3g, UnsaturatedFat 2.3g, TransFat 0g, Carbohydrate 5.8g, Fiber 0.2g, Protein 4.5g, Cholesterol 4.5g
TIROPITAKIA (LITTLE CHEESE PIES)
These can be made ahead and frozen for a quick snack when unexpected company shows up. Just tack on a few minutes to the baking time to compensate for their being frozen.
Provided by evelynathens
Categories Cheese
Time 1h20m
Yield 48 pies
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Crumble or mash the feta cheese with a fork.
- Add the grated cheese, parsley, eggs and pepper.
- Cut pastry sheets in strips about 2x12 inches.
- Stack them one on top of the other to prevent From drying.
- Brush a strip of phyllo with melted butter, lay another strip on top and brush that one with butter too.
- Put one teaspoon of the filling on the short end of the strip, facing you, and fold over one corner to make a triangle.
- Continue folding pastry strip from side to side in the shape of a triangle until the entire pastry strip covers the filling. (Remember how we were taught to fold a flag into a triangular shape? Think of that as you keep folding the dough over. You should have a nice, neat, triangular packet.)
- Proceed in this manner with remaining pastry strips and filling until all are used.
- Put"tiropitakia" on a buttered baking sheet, brush generously with melted butter and bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve hot.
- You can also make these ahead, put on a baking sheet and freeze, unbaked. When frozen, just keep them in a ziploc bag and you can have tiropitakia at a moment's notice. Just add 5 more minutes to the baking time if you're using frozen ones.
TIROPITAKIA (MINIATURE GREEK CHEESE PIES)
Make and share this Tiropitakia (Miniature Greek Cheese Pies) recipe from Food.com.
Provided by evelynathens
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 1h
Yield 16-24 pastries
Number Of Ingredients 11
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.
Tips:
- Use quality ingredients: Authentic Greek feta cheese and good-quality butter make all the difference in the flavor of these pies.
- Don't overwork the dough: Overworking the dough will make it tough. Mix it just until it comes together, then let it rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.
- Roll the dough thinly: The thinner the dough, the crispier the pies will be. Aim for a thickness of about 1/8 inch.
- Don't overfill the pies: Too much filling will make the pies difficult to seal and they may burst open during baking.
- Bake the pies until they are golden brown: This will ensure that the dough is cooked through and the filling is hot and melted.
Conclusion:
Tiropitakia are a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or snack. They are perfect for parties or potlucks, and they can also be enjoyed as a light meal. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can create these delicious little cheese pies that are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them.
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