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Tiropitas are a popular Greek appetizer made with phyllo dough and a savory filling, usually cheese. They can be made in various sizes and with different fillings, including vegetables and meat. The traditional tiropita is wrapped like a triangle and baked until golden brown. They are easy to prepare at home and can be served hot or cold.
Tiropitas are a Greek food made with phyllo dough and a savory filling. They are extremely popular as appetizers, especially stuffed with cheese, the classic tiropita filling. Baked savory food is sometimes offered as part of a large dinner, so guests can have small sampling bites of a variety of foods. Some Greek delicatessens carry tiropita and they are also relatively easy to prepare at home.
In Greek, the name means “cheese pie” and the dish is related to spanakopita or “spinach pie.” A traditional tiropita has a blend of cheeses including feta wrapped in a phyllo dough crust and baked until golden brown. Traditionally, the tiropita is wrapped like a triangle, making it easier to manipulate with the fingers. Enthusiastic cooks use a variety of ingredients in their tiropita, including vegetables and meat.
Triangles can be made to any size, with the cook determining the maximum size of each triangle. The flexibility of sizes and fillings allows cooks to prepare large dishes of tiropita, creating an assortment of plain, vegetable and meat-based tiropita. Leftovers also make great breakfast foods and can be wrapped in wax paper and taken for lunch as well. Some cooks prepare the tiropita in a large pan like the spanakopita, cutting the finished cake into wedges.
To make the basic traditional tiropita, you’ll need a block of feta cheese, two eggs, ½ cup of soft cheese, two tablespoons of kefalotyri, salt, pepper, nutmeg, butter, and phyllo. Kefalotyri is a Greek hard cheese and in regions where it is not available, Parmesan can be used as a substitute. To make the filling, mix the cheeses with the spices and eggs, making sure to mix evenly so the filling isn’t chunky. If you bought frozen phyllo at a store, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator and take it out about an hour before you plan to make the tiropita.
Melt the butter in a saucepan before spreading your phyllo out onto a clean workspace and cutting it in half to make long rectangles. Peel a sheet, place a small amount of filling on it, and group it into a triangle. Brush the triangle with the butter before pulling out another sheet of phyllo and wrapping it around the first one, brushing the finished triangle with the butter. Place it on an oiled baking sheet and keep making triangles until you are out of dough or filling. Bake the triangles in a 375-degree Fahrenheit (191-degree Celsius) oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.
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