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

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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 is Greek cheese pie made of? ›

Tyropita is a Greek cheese pie typically made with feta cheese, phyllo, and olive oil. The word tyropita is a combination of the Greek word for cheese (tyri) and pie (pita). Feta cheese is almost always the main cheese used in tyropita, which can be made with feta by itself or a mixture of cheeses.

What do you eat with Tiropita? ›

Tiropita can be consumed as a snack, for breakfast and as a meal. I serve it with a seasonal salad (usually a Greek style salad with tomato and cucumber in the summer, or a green or cabbage salad in the winter). And it is also good (as all pies are) as school lunch.

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.

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.

What is Greek feta cheese made from? ›

Traditionally, feta cheese is made with 100% sheep's milk or with up to 30% of goat's milk mixed in.

What are famous Greek pies? ›

We have listed below some of the most popular Greek pies you can find in Greece as well as from our online shop.
  • Tyropita. This is a classic cheese pie which is often associated as the foundation of Greek pies. ...
  • Spanakopita. ...
  • Kotopita. ...
  • Hortopita. ...
  • Bougatsa Cream. ...
  • Bougatsa Cheese. ...
  • The Greek Deli.

What is Tiropita made of? ›

Tiropita (or tyropita) is a Greek pie made from layers of phyllo dough that are filled with a cheese and egg mixture. Tiropita can be made as individual pastries, like we did here. Or, you can make it in one large pan and cut into serving portions, like you do for Kotopita.

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.

Who invented Tiropita? ›

Another theory is that layered dishes like tiropita have their origins in Turkish cuisine and may trace back to layered pan-fried bread developed by the Turks of Central Asia before their westward migration to Anatolia in the late Middle Ages.

What do Greeks serve for Christmas? ›

Unlike Western Countries where they eat Turkeys, in Greece, the main Christmas meal is often pork (and lamb). There are many traditional pork Christmas recipes that vary depending on the region.

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 do you eat Greek cheese? ›

Crumbled. One of the easiest and more popular ways to incorporate Feta to a dish is to crumble it. Feta Crumbles are so versatile that you can use them to garnish pasta, watermelon, grapes, nuts, chickpeas, potatoes, salads, pizza, or eggs. It's the perfect tangy touch to elevate any dish.

What is tiropita made of? ›

Tiropita (or tyropita) is a Greek pie made from layers of phyllo dough that are filled with a cheese and egg mixture. Tiropita can be made as individual pastries, like we did here. Or, you can make it in one large pan and cut into serving portions, like you do for Kotopita.

What is another name 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.

What is the difference between Galaktoboureko and Bougatsa? ›

The other difference is that the layer of custard found in bougatsa is quite a bit thinner than the thick layer of custard which makes up a galaktoboureko. The end result is that when served warm, the bougatsa custard has a beautiful way of remaining creamy, oozy and perfect.

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