These tasty cheese-filled pastries are finger foods and can be served as appetizers, mezethes, side dishes, and snacks. There are many variations on this recipe using different types of cheeses and herbs; this is one of my favorites. Let young cooks try their hand at this. Once they get the hang of the folding, there will be no stopping them!
See this recipe with step-by-step photos.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled into small pieces
- 1 cup of grated graviera (or a gruyere-type cheese), grated
- (or 1 pound of feta cheese without graviera)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup of fresh finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 pound of thin phyllo dough sheets
- 1/2 cup of melted unsalted butter
Preparation:
Day One: Defrost the phyllo dough in the refrigerator overnight (see Tips on Handling Phyllo Dough).
Day Two:
- Bring eggs and phyllo to room temperature (about 3 hours).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Mix the cheeses, eggs, parsley, and pepper in a bowl until blended. The mixture will be thick and slightly lumpy.
- Cut the phyllo dough lengthwise into strips 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide (for most phyllo, this means cutting it into four strips).
- Using a pastry brush, brush or dot the strip lightly with melted butter and place 1 teaspoon of the cheese and egg mixture on the strip, centered 1 inch from the end.
- Fold one corner over in a triangle, and then continue turning over the triangle to the end of the phyllo strip (like folding a flag).
- Brush each triangle with a little melted butter and place on a lightly buttered or non-stick baking sheet.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) degrees for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, move to racks or plates, cool for several minutes, and serve hot.
Yield: about 80 pieces
How to fold triangles, with photos
Cooking Tip:
Do not leave the tyropitakia on the baking sheet after cooking as they will continue to draw heat which slows the cooling process.
Storage Tip:
Tyropitakia may be stacked uncooked between sheets of waxed paper, and frozen in air-tight containers. To use after freezing, separate them while frozen, place on a baking sheet, and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30-35 minutes. Do not thaw before baking.
Serving Suggestions
I like these as a snack, side dish, or to serve when friends visit, and many believe they are one of the best mezethes to accompany Ouzo, the slightly licorice-tasting liqueur that is the national drink of Greece.
Alternative Cooking Method:
These tyropitakia can also be fried. Prepare the triangles leaving off the butter, and fry in hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain in a colander or on racks placed over paper towels before serving.