Tiropita: Greek Feta and Filo Cheese Pie
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
A golden, shatteringly crisp filo pie with a tangy filling of feta, nutty graviera and cottage cheese set with egg, baked in a square tin and cut into nine.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Filling. Mix the feta, graviera, cottage cheese, eggs, cornflour, mint and pepper in a bowl. The cornflour holds the moisture from the cheeses, so the filling sets creamy rather than weeping.
- 2
Prepare. Put a rack in the lowest position of the oven and heat it to 220 °C (200 °C fan). Line the tin with two crossed strips of foil that overhang the sides, then brush it with butter. Cover the filo with a damp tea towel so it does not dry out and crack.
- 3
Base. Lay in 8 filo sheets one at a time, brushing each with butter and turning each a quarter turn from the last so the overhang falls on all four sides. The butter between the layers fries them into crisp flakes in the oven.
- 4
Fill. Spread the filling evenly over the base, right into the corners.
- 5
Top. Layer 8 more sheets over the filling in the same way, brushing each one with butter.
- 6
Seal. Pinch the overhanging edges together and roll them inwards to make a thick rim, then brush the top and rim with the rest of the butter. Cut through the top layers into 9 squares without cutting the base; pre-cutting stops the crisp top shattering when you serve.
- 7
Bake. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until deep golden and crisp and the centre of the filling reads 71 °C. Heat from the low rack crisps the base so it does not go soggy.
- 8
Rest. Lift the pie out on the foil onto a rack, slide the foil away and leave for 30 minutes. As it cools the filling firms up, so the squares cut cleanly; cut along the marks and serve warm.
Storage
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat at 180 °C for 10-12 minutes, until piping hot and crisp again. Freeze the unbaked pie, well wrapped, for up to 1 month and bake from frozen, adding 10-15 minutes. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- 20 cm square baking tin
- foil
- pastry brush
- mixing bowl
- sharp knife
- wire rack
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 328 kcal |
| Protein | 11.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 20 g |
| of which sugars | 1.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 22.3 g |
| of which saturates | 13.2 g |
| Fibre | 0.7 g |
| Salt | 1.38 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.6 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
