Here’s An Easy Recipe For A Delicious Cheesy Treat!
Tiropita – also known as Tyropita or τυρóπιτα in Greek – is a traditional savory Greek cheese pie.
In the long history of phyllo (filo) dough being filled or layered with delicious things, tiropita is a tasty savory option!
This handheld version, which is actually known as Tiropitakia, is stuffed with a mouthwatering mixture of eggs, feta and ricotta cheese.
It is quick and easy to make – and even easier to enjoy!
Tiropita can be made as a large round or rectangular pie that is then cut into pieces.
However, this recipe is all about making handheld triangles that are filled and rolled separately. Both have their merits!
Tiropita reminds us a little bit of the cheese-filled burek we ate while travelling in the Balkans.
Given the geopolitical history of the region, this makes sense – tiropita is in the burek family and phyllo dough creations – like Baklava – are found everywhere.
Ingredients
To make this tiropita recipe, here are the ingredients that you will need. Overall, it’s a pretty simple recipe so there aren’t too many items on this list!
- Phyllo sheets – You’ll need 12 phyllo sheets.
- Ricotta cheese – For the filling.
- Feta cheese – For the filling.
- Eggs – For the filling.
- Salt – To season the filling.
- Melted butter – Instead of butter you can also use olive oil.
- Sesame seeds – Optional but recommended; to sprinkle on top of the tiropita.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
Before you make this recipe, read through these tips so that you know exactly what to expect and there aren’t too many surprises!
- You can use either fresh or frozen phyllo sheets. If you use frozen sheets, you will need to thaw them first.
- You can replace the ricotta cheese with cottage cheese. In general, make sure to use high quality ingredients.
- Depending on how salty the feta cheese is, you can reduce the amount of salt you add – or omit it altogether.
- Phyllo dough dries out quickly, so keep the sheets that you are not using covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Don’t overfill the phyllo sheets. Too much cheese filling will make the triangles difficult to fold.
- Don’t forget to brush the triangles with melted butter (or alternatively olive oil) so that they turn golden brown during baking.
How to Make Tiropita – Step by Step Instructions
In this section, we’ll walk you through exactly how to make this recipe for tiropita. You can follow along with the recipe process photos to see just how the recipe goes each step of the way.
You can also find the detailed recipe card with exact measurements at the bottom of this post!
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
For the filling, mix feta cheese, ricotta cheese, eggs and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
Once everything is well mixed, set the bowl aside.
If you’re using frozen phyllo sheets, make sure they are fully thawed before continuing.
Then place one sheet of phyllo on your work surface and brush it with melted butter or oil.
Take another phyllo sheet and place it on top of the first. Brush again with melted butter.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the phyllo sheets into 5 strips about 3.5 inches wide. You can also make them thinner for smaller triangles.
Add one tablespoon of the filling to the bottom of each strip. Be careful not to overfill, as you don’t want the filling to spill out when folding them.
Then start folding from the bottom up. Take the corner of one strip and fold it over the opposite side to make a triangle.
Now once again fold the triangle over to the opposite edge. Continue folding until you have folded the entire strip of phyllo into a triangle.
Repeat with all the phyllo sheets. You should get 30 triangles. Cover the folded triangles with a damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out.
Place the triangles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have room for all of the triangles, you can bake them in batches.
Just make sure to cover the ones that aren’t in the oven so the phyllo doesn’t dry out.
Brush the triangles with melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. The sesame seeds are optional, but highly recommended.
Bake the triangles in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to15 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
These cheesy phyllo triangles are definitely best enjoyed fresh out of the oven (after cooling for a little bit).
You can store any leftovers at room temperature for about 2 days, but eat them sooner rather than later.
You could also store them in the fridge, but keep in mind that this will make the phyllo dough soft. To reheat, place the tiropita in the oven for a few minutes – but the air fryer is also perfect for this type of job.
You can also freeze formed but unbaked tiropita for later use and then cook them from frozen. Just keep in mind that the cooking time will likely be a little bit longer.
This means that you could always make a larger batch to have on hand for later!
FAQ
Here are some answers to questions about Tiropita:
Tiropita is a Greek cheese pie. Made from buttered phyllo dough filled with a cheese-egg mixture, these pies can be made as a larger, layered pie to be cut into pieces or as individual triangles (called Tiropitakia).
The biggest difference is that the filling for spanakopita must include spinach. In fact, spinach can be the only/main filling ingredient (feta cheese isn’t always necessary). Tiropita – by name – is a pie with cheese-only filling.
Related Recipes
If you liked these delicious Greek cheese pies, check out these other classic Greek recipes – mostly savory but one that is also sweet!
- Greek Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)
- Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)
- Greek Meatballs
- Kolokithokeftedes (Zucchini Fritters)
- Homemade Greek Pita
- Chicken Souvlaki
- Portokalopita (Greek Orange Phyllo Cake)
Tiropita (Greek Cheese Pies)
Ingredients
- 12 phyllo sheets, about 14 ounces
- 7 ounces ricotta cheese, about 3/4 cup
- 7 ounces feta cheese, about 3/4 cup
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup melted butter, alternatively olive oil
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For the filling, mix feta cheese, ricotta cheese, eggs and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.7 ounces ricotta cheese, 7 ounces feta cheese, 3 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Make sure your phyllo sheets are fully thawed (if using frozen). Place one sheet of phyllo on your work surface and brush it with melted butter or oil. Take another phyllo sheet and place it on top of the first. Brush with melted butter again.12 phyllo sheets, 1/2 cup melted butter
- Take a sharp knife or pizza cutter and cut the phyllo sheets into 5 strips about 3.5 inches wide. You can also make them thinner for smaller triangles.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the filling to the bottom of each strip. Make sure you don’t overfill them. Then begin folding them from the bottom up. Take the corner of one strip and fold it over the opposite side to make a triangle. Now again fold the triangle to the opposite edge. Continue folding until you have folded the entire strip of phyllo into a triangle.
- Repeat with all the phyllo sheets. You should get 30 triangles. Cover the already folded triangles with a damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out.
- Place the triangles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have room to fit all the triangles, you can bake them in batches. Just make sure to cover the ones that aren't in the oven so the phyllo doesn’t dry out.
- Brush the triangles with melted butter and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. The sesame seeds are optional, but highly recommended.3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- Bake the triangles in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to15 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen phyllo sheets. If using frozen sheets, make sure they are fully thawed.
- You can replace the ricotta cheese with cottage cheese.
- Depending on how salty the feta cheese is, you may want to reduce the amount of salt you add – or omit it altogether.
- Phyllo dough dries out quickly, so keep the sheets that you are not using covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Don’t overfill the phyllo sheets. Too much cheese filling will make it difficult to fold the triangles.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
