Tiropita: A Greek-Style Feta Cheese Appetizer (with Puff Pastry)
Tiropita is a Greek-style feta cheese appetizer that is incredibly tasty. This Americanized version uses three different cheeses along with puff pastry to create a delectable dish that will bring rave reviews.
An old friend of mine served these savory tiropita appetizers at her house many years ago, and I immediately knew I had to have the recipe.
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She had made them using phyllo dough, which is the traditional Greek method, but I find them equally appetizing when made with puff pastry dough. Choose the one you are more inclined to use, and you won’t be disappointed either way. I don’t claim that these are authentic Greek tiropita as I am quite certain they are not. They just taste really good!
Another savory recipe using puff pastry: Scottish Sausage Rolls
An Unfortunate Event
I prepared these for my husband’s surprise 40th birthday party which I had at our house. That evening, I had hired someone to help out in the kitchen so I could enjoy the party, too.
As guests were beginning to arrive, I smelled something foul, and went into the kitchen to investigate. The lady I’d hired to help was looking for an oven mitt. She wanted to take these appetizers out of the oven, but since I’m used to doing everything myself, I grabbed a mitt and took the tray out. However, when I looked in the oven, I noticed one of my best knives melting on the floor of the oven! Obviously, this was the source of the noxious odor!
You may also enjoy my honey walnut baklava recipe.
Unfortunately, I reacted so quickly, I didn’t even think about what I did. I passed the 400 degree tray from my right hand, with the oven mitt, directly into my left hand, without a mitt! I sustained some terrible burns from that mistake, and to say I couldn’t enjoy the rest of the evening was an understatement!
Why did I tell you this story? To let you know that despite this painful incident, I still continue to make this tiropita recipe, but I will say that I am much more careful when making a quick decision in the kitchen when extreme heat is involved!
I had some leftover filling when I made these once, and turned it into this incredible caramelized onion, pancetta and feta cheese tart!
As with many of the recipes I post on my site, the measurements are not critical in this dish as my friend didn’t give me any measurements at all. I just throw the ingredients together in a bowl and it always turns out great. I measured my ingredients this time to give you some indication of how much is needed, but don’t stress if you don’t have the exact amounts.
Love Greek food? Try these gyros!
Tiropita: A Greek-Style Feta Cheese Appetizer
recipe given verbally from a friend, amounts are mine serves 12
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- puff pastry or phyllo dough
- feta cheese
- cream cheese
- cottage cheese
- egg
Directions
Preheat oven to 400º F (200ºC)
Mix the cheeses and eggs together in a bowl until well-combined.
Decide what size appetizer you would like and cut the puff pastry into equal sized pieces. Use the phyllo pastry as directed on the package.
Place a spoonful of filling onto the pastry, and wet the edges of the tiropita.
Next, fold the pastry over and seal with the tines of a fork.
Finally, place the tiropita onto lined baking sheet and brush with some slightly beaten egg white.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve these with a Greek salad and you have a light lunch ready to go!
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Tiropita: A Greek-Style Feta Cheese Appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 package puff pastry sheets (or phyllo dough) 18 oz package
- 4 oz feta cheese (crumbled)
- 4 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 4 oz cottage cheese
- 1 egg (slightly beaten)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C)
- Mix the cheese and eggs together in a bowl until well-combined.
- Decide what size appetizer you would like and cut the puff pastry into equal sized pieces (use the phyllo as directed on the package). Place a spoonful of filling onto the pastry, and wet the edges.
- Fold the pastry over and seal with the tines of a fork.
- Place onto lined baking sheet and brush with some slightly beaten egg white.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- This amount of filling will make a generous amount of appetizers, if you want a smaller amount, make half of the recipe.
- If you plan to freeze these, underbake them a little, freeze on a tray, then remove them and place in a freezer bag when frozen.
- To reheat: place on a tray for about two hours to defrost, then heat for about 15 minutes at 375˚F (190˚C) or until piping hot.
Nutrition
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Suzanne these came out wonderful. I used ricotta instead of cottage cheese. I always made it with the phyllo dough but I like the puff pastry better. Thanks so much!
Wonderful, Carol! I honestly think the ricotta version would be better, but I’ve always stuck to the original recipe that I was given. I have a feeling that cottage cheese isn’t authentic as it probably doesn’t exist in Greece! ;) Glad you liked them! -Christina
Can these be frozen and brought out when needed? Needing an easy appetizer for Christmas dinner.
Yes Malina, but be sure to bake them first. I’d bake them a little less than brown than you like that way when you pop them in the oven to reheat them, they can brown a bit more. Enjoy!
How do you reheat them. From frozen? Thawed first? What temp?
Hi Pam, I would take them out of the freezer and allow to defrost for about 2 hours, then pop into the oven at 375 F since they’re already mostly baked, for 15 minutes or so. All ovens are different so keep an eye on them, you don’t want to over-brown them. Enjoy!
How many sheets of filo are we going to use?
Hi Dede, if you roll them up in a long strip (flag style), or rolling the filling in a long tube, then probably only 2 or 3 sheets is fine. Check on your box of phyllo dough for their directions on how to use it for the best outcome. Enjoy!
Ouch! My hubby has tons of burn marks too, he never learns…. These bring back wonderful memories of a being a child stationed with my family in Fort Knox, Kentucky. We lived in a square cul-de-sac and our next door neighbor who became best friends with my Mom was Greek and she made these and the smell was heavenly. My Mom learned to make them and she did make them for a few years after we were stationed somewhere else, but after awhile she stopped and I think it has been at lest 20 years or more since I have had one of these!
You know what that means, Andi? You’re long overdue!
Yummy! I love feta, these look quite fancy but easy enough to make too! :)
Absolutely, Amanda! They give the appearance of “fancy”, but are really so easy to make!
So sorry to hear about the knife incident! I think we all have “culinary war wounds” of some kind. I am so glad you are still making this recipe, as it looks fantastic. I just picked up some puff pastry and now I know what I will do with it!
Thanks, Cathy, I did a stupid thing, but I learned from my mistake. Did you find the puff pastry at Trader Joe’s? I’m so excited about it as it has real butter and no sugar this time!
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Those are beautiful Christina and make a wonderful appetizer. I love Greek food, feta is one of my favorite cheeses.
Thank you so much, Suzanne! Yes, I do love feta too!