Need something really simple for a party? Try these easy, cheesy, crispy Greek mini feta cheese pies (AKA tiropitakia!) made with just filo pastry, feta cheese and a few other simple ingredients. Make them ahead, stash them in the freezer, and you’re ready to go!
10.5ouncesfeta cheese'Smooth' feta or Danish, French or Persian feta is a good option, but any feta works. Greek cheese 'anthotiro' is the perfect choice if you can find it.
½cupGreek yogurtSubstitute with ricotta cheese, more cream cheese, cottage cheese or even sour cream.
½cupcream cheese
⅓cupparmesan cheeseGrated, about a large handful. Substitute with any grated cheese (strong flavored is best).
1eggLightly whisked
¼teaspoonnutmeg
¼teaspoonblack pepper
2tablespoonsfresh mintchopped, or dill, or 2 teaspoons dried oregano (optional)
9ouncesfilo pastryAbout 12 large sheets of filo pastry or ⅔ of a 13 ounce/375 gram box. Of course this will vary depending on the brand.
Mash the feta in a medium bowl, then add the yogurt (or substitute), cream cheese, parmesan (or other cheese), egg, nutmeg, herbs (if using) and black pepper. Mix well.
10.5 ounces feta cheese, ½ cup Greek yogurt, ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, 1 egg, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons fresh mint, ½ cup cream cheese
Preheat the oven to 355F/180C. Then lay a sheet of filo pastry on a clean work surface or large chopping board widthways with the longest edge towards you. Brush all over with olive oil (about a tablespoon for a large sheet of pastry).
9 ounces filo pastry, ⅓ cup olive oil
Lay another sheet of pastry on top, then cut the pastry sheets into equal 3-4 inch (8-10 cm) wide strips (see photos in post or video).
Put about a heaped tablespoon of mixture in the middle of one end of the first strip. Fold the pastry over it diagonally, then keep folding until you have a small pastry triangle and all the filling is enclosed. Place the triangle on a baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining pastry strips and pastry sheets until you've used up all the filling. You should have 25 to 30 cheese triangles.
Brush the tops with a little extra olive oil. If you like, sprinkle over a few sesame seeds, or leave them plain. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese pies are golden brown and crispy. Let cool a little, then if possible serve quickly while they are still warm and crisp.
Video
Notes
What kind of feta to use: I usually try to use a soft feta cheese like Danish, French, Persian or 'smooth', but any kind is fine. If you can get Greek anthotiro, even better. If you like you can even experiment with a different type of cheese, like Mexican queso or goat cheese. Let me know how you get on if you do this!Pastry: Drape a damp tea towel over the unused pastry while you're constructing your little hand pies - so it doesn't dry out!Filling options: If you prefer or that's what you have, you can use ricotta, cottage cheese or sour cream instead of Greek yogurt.Although none of these things are traditionally added to Greek cheese pies, there are no rules to say you can't add some of these things to your filling:chopped sun dried tomatoes or olivesmashed sweet potato or butternut squashwilted spinach, squeezed and chopped finelydifferent grated cheeses such as Swiss cheese or strong cheddar.flavored cream cheesea bit of lemon zesta spoonful of pestoOlive oil: You'll need around a tablespoon per large sheet of pastry (for me that's 5 pies), plus a little extra for brushing over the tops of the pies. Assembling the pies: Sometimes my pastry tears in places and bits of cheese ooze out of the pies. That’s totally OK! It’s even OK if bits of cheese filling ooze out during cooking. Making ahead: To make these cheese pies ahead for a party or event, simply freeze them raw on baking trays in a single layer. When they’ve frozen, transfer them to Ziploc bags and freeze for up to 3 months.You can cook straight from frozen – just add a little onto the cooking time. You’ll see when the pies are done. They’ll be light golden and crispy.