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)

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

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

Tiropita Recipe, Greek Feta Cheese Pies | Alexandra’s Kitchen (7)

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

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? ›

What Is 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? ›

Since the main ingredient in the tiropita is feta, you will not need to add additional salt to the mixture. Typically we will add a bit of a less salty, fresh cheese such as anthotiro or if you cannot find it, you may add ricotta.

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's the difference between Greek and regular feta cheese? ›

French Feta is made with Lacaune sheep's milk (if you remember, that's the sheep breed used for Roquefort production). It has a softer and creamier texture that Greek Feta and a milder, less tangy flavor (though it's sharper than Israeli Feta).

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.

What country is Tiropita from? ›

Tiropita—“tiro” means “cheese,” and “pita” means “pie”—is a savory Greek cheese pie made with layers of butter-brushed phyllo dough and a soft, flavorful cheese filling. There are many variations of this cheese pie in Greece, and each has its own unique shape and combination of cheeses.

What is Greece's favorite cheese? ›

Graviera is the most popular cheese, after feta.

What is the meaning of Tiropita? ›

Tiropita or tyropita (Greek: τυρóπιτα, "cheese-pie") is a Greek pastry made with layers of buttered phyllo and filled with a cheese-egg mixture. It is served either in an individual-size free-form wrapped shape, or as a larger pie that is portioned.

What is the #1 selling feta in Greece? ›

13 April 2023. This year, DODONI celebrates 60 years. Established in 1963 in Ioannina, Greece, we continue to use the same time honored methods as we always have, and that's why we're Greece's #1 Feta.

Can I 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.

What is feta called in Greece? ›

The Greek word feta (φέτα) comes from the Italian fetta 'slice', which in turn is derived from the Latin offa 'morsel, piece'. The word feta became widespread as a name for the cheese only in the 19th century, probably referring to the cheese being cut to pack it in barrels.

What cheese is healthier than feta? ›

Goat cheese is milder in flavor than feta, but also tends to be lower in calories as well as fat.” Depending on how it's processed, goat cheese can also pack probiotics, which are microorganisms that can aid digestion. Fresh mozzarella, “tends to be one of the lowest in calories and sodium,” McGrane says.

What is the healthiest Greek cheese? ›

Feta. Feta is a Greek cheese made from sheep's milk. Although feta is higher in sodium than other cheeses, it is lower in calories.

Which feta is the creamiest? ›

"French feta is more austere and a little bit drier" compared to Greek feta. Bulgarian feta is made from sheep's milk and lies on the other end of the creaminess spectrum. "The Israelis also make some pretty great feta in that creamier style," Keenan says.

What 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
TypeBörek (savoury pie)
Place of originTurkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Greece
4 more rows

What is the literal translation of spanakopita? ›

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)...

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