Tiropita
Encyclopedia
Tiropita or tyropita is a Greek layered pastry
food, made with layers of buttered phyllo
and filled with a cheese-egg mixture.
Another variety is the spiral Skopelos
Cheese Pie in which long strips of cheese stuffed phyllo are formed into a spiral and deep fried.
Tiropita can also be made in a large pan (ταψί taˈpsi) and cut into individual portions after baking. The individual form is sold in bakeries throughout Greece, where it is a popular breakfast and snack food. Alternatives to tiropita are spanakopita
, a pie with spinach, as well as bougatsa
.
In Greece, one can find many varieties of Tyropita:
Regular tiropita fillings usually consist of feta
cheese, egg, butter and yogurt. However, "kasseropita" contains kasseri
instead of feta cheese and, unlike regular tiropita, does not contain yogurt.
Tiropita is usually eaten mid-morning by Greeks, who are not accustomed to having "breakfast" in the traditional western-European sense. Specifically, shortly upon awakening and before going to work, Greeks typically consume coffee (either Turkish or cold i.e. frappe) accompanied by cold water and, on occasion, bread with butter and honey. Approximately one to two hours later (mid-morning), tyropita (more commonly) or spanakopita are consumed. As a result, lunch is light and usually taken much later in the day than in most Western countries (1:30–2:30 pm).
Georgians, similar to the Greeks, also share a large tradition of incorporating dairy products in their baking. Khachapuri
is the Georgian equivalent of tyropita. Similar traditions can also be found in other areas of the world (e.g. Hunza pie eaten in the Hunza valley
, an area influenced by ancient Greek culture by way of the passing armies of Alexander the Great).
Pastry
Pastry is the name given to various kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder and/or eggs. Small cakes, tarts and other sweet baked products are called "pastries."...
food, made with layers of buttered phyllo
Phyllo
Phyllo, filo, or fillo dough is paper-thin sheets of unleavened flour dough used for making pastries in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine.-History:An early, thick form of phyllo appears to be of Central Asian Turkic origin...
and filled with a cheese-egg mixture.
Another variety is the spiral Skopelos
Skopelos
Skopelos , ancient Peparethos or Peparethus , is a Greek island in the western Aegean Sea. Skopelos is one of several islands which comprise the Northern Sporades island group. The island is located east of mainland Greece, northeast of the island of Euboea and is part of the Thessaly Periphery....
Cheese Pie in which long strips of cheese stuffed phyllo are formed into a spiral and deep fried.
Tiropita can also be made in a large pan (ταψί taˈpsi) and cut into individual portions after baking. The individual form is sold in bakeries throughout Greece, where it is a popular breakfast and snack food. Alternatives to tiropita are spanakopita
Spanakopita
Spanakopita or spinach pie is a Greek savory pastry in the burek family with a filling of chopped spinach, feta cheese , onions or scallions, egg, and seasoning...
, a pie with spinach, as well as bougatsa
Bougatsa
Bougatsa, , is a Greek breakfast pastry consisting of custard, cheese, or minced meat filling between layers of phyllo.- Origin :...
.
In Greece, one can find many varieties of Tyropita:
- Kourou: Surrounded by a thick pastry.
- Sfoliata: Surrounded by puff-pastry.
- Xoriatiki: Made in a Tapsi pan.
- Tyropitakia: Bite-sized.
- Skopelitiki: Made in the shape of a twirl.
Regular tiropita fillings usually consist of feta
Feta
Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese,...
cheese, egg, butter and yogurt. However, "kasseropita" contains kasseri
Kasseri
Kasseri is a medium-hard pale yellow cheese made from unpasteurized sheep milk with very little, if any, goat's milk mixed in, in Greece and Turkey...
instead of feta cheese and, unlike regular tiropita, does not contain yogurt.
Tiropita is usually eaten mid-morning by Greeks, who are not accustomed to having "breakfast" in the traditional western-European sense. Specifically, shortly upon awakening and before going to work, Greeks typically consume coffee (either Turkish or cold i.e. frappe) accompanied by cold water and, on occasion, bread with butter and honey. Approximately one to two hours later (mid-morning), tyropita (more commonly) or spanakopita are consumed. As a result, lunch is light and usually taken much later in the day than in most Western countries (1:30–2:30 pm).
Georgians, similar to the Greeks, also share a large tradition of incorporating dairy products in their baking. Khachapuri
Khachapuri
Khachapuri is a filled bread dish from Georgia. The bread is leavened and allowed to rise, and is shaped in various ways. The filling contains cheese , eggs and other ingredients....
is the Georgian equivalent of tyropita. Similar traditions can also be found in other areas of the world (e.g. Hunza pie eaten in the Hunza valley
Hunza Valley
The Hunza Valley is a mountainous valley in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The Hunza valley is situated to the north of the Hunza River, at an elevation of around . The territory of Hunza is about...
, an area influenced by ancient Greek culture by way of the passing armies of Alexander the Great).