Tiropita (Cheese Pie)
By Amanda LuchtelPublished on August 23, 2022
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour cooling
Yield
Serves 9
Ingredients
Filling
10 ounces sheep's-milk feta cheese in brine, drained and shredded (2 cups)2 ounces graviera cheese, shredded (⅔ cup)4 ounces (½ cup) whole-milk cottage cheese 2 large eggs, lightly beaten2 teaspoons cornstarch ½ teaspoon dried mint (optional)Phyllo
16 (14 by 9-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed, divided10 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedBefore You Begin
Phyllo dough is also available in larger 18 by 14-inch sheets; if using, cut them in half to make 9 by 14-inch sheets. Don't use thicker, “country-style” phyllo here. Do not thaw the phyllo in the microwave; let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 4 to 5 hours. While working with the phyllo, cover it with plastic wrap and then a damp dish towel to prevent drying. Shred the feta on the large holes of a box grater. You can substitute Gruyère for the graviera, if desired. Use enough butter to coat the phyllo; it's OK if you don't use it all.
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients (including dried mint, if using) in bowl. Set aside.
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Brush foil lightly with melted butter.
- Lay 1 phyllo sheet on clean counter with short side parallel to edge of counter. Brush lightly with melted butter. Place second phyllo sheet directly over first sheet and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat layering with 2 more phyllo sheets and melted butter. (You will have 4 layers total.)
- Transfer phyllo stack to prepared pan. Ease dough into pan by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into pan bottom with your other hand, letting excess dough hang over edge.
- Repeat step 3. Place second phyllo stack in pan, perpendicular to first phyllo stack. Ease dough into pan by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into pan bottom with your other hand, letting excess dough hang over edge.
- Spread filling evenly over phyllo in pan.
- Repeat step 3 two more times. Place phyllo stacks over filling, perpendicular to each other.
- Pinch overhanging top and bottom layers of phyllo together firmly. Roll inward to create rope-like crust around tiropita; brush all over with melted butter. Using paring knife, score top phyllo stack into 9 equal pieces (2 cuts by 2 cuts), being sure to cut through rolled edges, but do not separate.
- Bake until phyllo is golden and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Using foil overhang, immediately transfer tiropita from pan to wire rack. Carefully slide foil from underneath and discard. Let cool for 1 hour. Slide tiropita onto cutting board. Using prescored lines, cut into 9 squares and serve.
for the filling
for the phyllo
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour coolingYield
Serves 9Ingredients
Filling
Phyllo
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Filling
Phyllo
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Filling
Phyllo
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
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. For our pie, we chose a combination of pungent sheep's-milk feta for its strong flavor, cottage cheese for added creaminess, and some nutty graviera cheese for extra depth. Shredding the feta on a box grater (rather than smashing it with a fork or processing it in a food processor) made a creamy, more even filling that wasn't gritty or chunky. Two eggs added richness and further binding power. To help bind the filling and prevent it from curdling in the oven, we added a bit of cornstarch.
Before You Begin
Phyllo dough is also available in larger 18 by 14-inch sheets; if using, cut them in half to make 9 by 14-inch sheets. Don't use thicker, “country-style” phyllo here. Do not thaw the phyllo in the microwave; let it sit in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 4 to 5 hours. While working with the phyllo, cover it with plastic wrap and then a damp dish towel to prevent drying. Shred the feta on the large holes of a box grater. You can substitute Gruyère for the graviera, if desired. Use enough butter to coat the phyllo; it's OK if you don't use it all.
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients (including dried mint, if using) in bowl. Set aside.
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Brush foil lightly with melted butter.
- Lay 1 phyllo sheet on clean counter with short side parallel to edge of counter. Brush lightly with melted butter. Place second phyllo sheet directly over first sheet and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat layering with 2 more phyllo sheets and melted butter. (You will have 4 layers total.)
- Transfer phyllo stack to prepared pan. Ease dough into pan by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into pan bottom with your other hand, letting excess dough hang over edge.
- Repeat step 3. Place second phyllo stack in pan, perpendicular to first phyllo stack. Ease dough into pan by gently lifting edge of dough with your hand while pressing into pan bottom with your other hand, letting excess dough hang over edge.
- Spread filling evenly over phyllo in pan.
- Repeat step 3 two more times. Place phyllo stacks over filling, perpendicular to each other.
- Pinch overhanging top and bottom layers of phyllo together firmly. Roll inward to create rope-like crust around tiropita; brush all over with melted butter. Using paring knife, score top phyllo stack into 9 equal pieces (2 cuts by 2 cuts), being sure to cut through rolled edges, but do not separate.
- Bake until phyllo is golden and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Using foil overhang, immediately transfer tiropita from pan to wire rack. Carefully slide foil from underneath and discard. Let cool for 1 hour. Slide tiropita onto cutting board. Using prescored lines, cut into 9 squares and serve.
for the filling
for the phyllo
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