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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Thanks l try and let you know, lynda
Sounds good!
Hi, can you freeze left over cheese mix, as I’ve made too much, they taste great and thanks for recipe
Hi Lynda, it should be fine, but I’ve only frozen the tiropita after baking them in the past, so I’m not totally certain. Give it a try one time if you don’t have a choice! :) Let me know how it goes!
If you freeze the Tiropitas is that before or after baking them?
Hi Callie, I’ve never frozen them before baking. If you plan to freeze them, pull them out before they’re fully browned that way they’ll finish browning when you reheat them after defrosting. Enjoy!
How many sheets of puff pastry did you use for this amount of filling? I’ve done something similar with spinach & nutmeg but have no idea where the recipe went, haha. Your shortbread cookies came out so well that I’m thinking of making these for big crowd in January.
Hi Kt, it’s hard to say exactly because I never measure how much filling I put into the pastry. You could probably use another package of puff pastry for the amount of filling. So glad you loved the shortbread! Hope this helps! CC
Hoping to help-we (Greeks) ALWAYS freeze these PRIOR to baking-think of the many many hours that go into our lavish festivals each year! They’re all made in 1 big batch then frozen, then baked fresh so as not to lose flavor! And it just depends on the “island” “village” or “family” recipe as to preference with using cottage cheese, it’s definitely made sold bought and eaten in Greece – it may be interesting to some to know that often Cretans sweeten theirs and has a healthy dose of cinnamon, too, and is baked in a dough pocket -you may easily tweak this versatile recipe in a dessert style or stick with the traditional savory flavor. While using cottage cheese in lieu of ricotta it’s always recommended to drain it well and retain only the curds, so as the filling breaks down while cooking and melds together you won’t compromise your pastry dough, especially if you like to stuff your pitas generously as I do! I’ve never had tiropita with cream cheese but sounds wonderful! My traditional family recipe passed down consists of Greek or French feta, ricotta, Romano cheese (personal pref in pecorino! The BEST), eggs, nutmeg and pepper to taste, every now and then a sprinkling of dill when we get crazy! PS.My yiayia beat into my head at an early age to NEVER skimp on the fat content of your cheeses when making tiropitas or spanakopita! Whole fat for all of it! TBH, I doubt I’d know the difference so I won’t tell if you won’t!
Thanks for this, Marienthie! Love to hear the traditions. I bet you could tell the difference if there were some made with low or non-fat cheese and the ones with full fat, side by side! Of course the full fat taste better; more flavor! I agree! :)
I’ve made these for years with a recipe from a Greek friend. Phyllo dough for sure. Brush melted butter between each sheet – 4 layers. Feta and ricotta with a little parmigiana. No cream cheese.
Huge success with most guests.
I’m sure the cheese can be mixed and matched, so yummy! Thanks, Martha!
I don’t, but is is something like this? Dolmades: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/dolmades-stuffed-grape-leaves-recipe.html
Hi there. These look so delicious! Question for you….is one box of puff pastry enough for the amount of filling your recipe will make? Also, what size do you cut your pastry squares? I usually use phyllo and have actually never used puff pastry….but now I want to seeing how great these look! Thank you for sharing :)