Kypriaki Tyropita (Cypriot Savoury Cheese Cake)

Kypriaki Tyropita is a delicious Cypriot savoury cake which is made with halloumi, oil, eggs, milk and lots of mint in it.

Tyropita pronounced tee-RHO-pee-tah) means cheese from the word tyri (cheese) and pita (pie).

The word "tyropita" has a very wide meaning and it can be anything with cheese, made with homemade phyllo, store bought phyllo pastry, puff pastry, kourou pastry, kataifi pastry, or with  bread dough and cheese in it,  which we make during  Easter, a savoury bread (cake) with eggs or even a sweet pastry.

The variety of cheeses to use are endless: halloumi, Paphitiko cheese, feta, graviera, kefalotyri, kefalograviera, anthotyros, myzithra the list is endless.  

Although the cake Kypriaki Tyropita, is strictly made with halloumi, a mixture of the above cheeses can be combined or even some cheese from other countries can be substituted as well.

(See my list of Greek and Cypriot cheeses to see some of the substitutes you can use).

Can you think of a better way to start your breakfast?

I am sure you can, but here's a kind of breakfast we have in Cyprus.

It's a a Halloumi bread or cake, with lots and lots of mint in it.  When you think you've added enough mint, just add some more.

The cheese we usually use is aged, homemade halloumi but of course you can use any kind of halloumi, provided you can grate it.  

This is the perfect cheese to make the Cypriot Tyropita or Halloumopita.

I don't say that the halloumi we get in the supermarkets is not good but if you have tasted homemade halloumi, which is quite usual in Cyprus, made with ewe's and goat milk only then you will know the difference.    

When halloumi is made fresh, it is soft, creamy and rubbery in texture and mildly salty and minty  in taste.  

It is preserved in brine, so as it ages it becomes harder and saltier, with a much robust texture, which makes it easier to grate and the taste gets much better as it ages.

Are you having some friends over for a cup of coffee or a cup of tea?  This tyropita is easy to make and you will surely please your guests.  

No mixer is required, you just mix everything together and bake.

Ingredients to make Kypriaki Tyropita:

Halloumi

Now I know some of you can't find halloumi where you live, but don't worry.   Believe me before 2008 it was impossible to find halloumi even in Greek supermarkets and whenever we went to Cyprus, it was the first in my list to bring back with us.  

Now you can find it easily but even if you live somewhere where you can't, you can buy it online.  

Some times, when I didn't have halloumi, I substituted it with other Greek cheeses, such as graviera, kefalograviera, ladotyri Mytilinis, or kefalotyri.

Kefalograviera or a mixture of kefalotyri and  graviera is what I used most of the  times when I did not have halloumi.

If you cannot get hold of Greek cheeses, try it with pecorino, Parmesan or Gruyere.

Fat

In Cyprus we used to make this tyropita with peanut oil. In Greece I make it with a good quality of mild olive oil. If your olive oil is too strong, you can mix it with some vegetable oil or just use your favourite vegetable oil.

Milk

You can use any kind of milk you like but I like using evaporated milk, for its distinct flavour.

Flour

In the recipe I use self-raising flour. However, if you run out of it, you can make it yourself. For each cup all-purpose flour, add ½ teaspoon salt and 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder.

Mint

I prefer to use dried mint (about a handful). Dried mint is more concentrated than fresh mint. You can use fresh mint if you like. Add about 1 cup, finely chopped.

Eggs

I use 5 large eggs. If for any reason you want to use less, just add less flour.

What else can I make with this mixture?

The same mixture can be used to make mini halloumi muffins with or without phyllo.

The idea of lining the muffin tin with phyllo was an original idea of mine several years ago, when I made  the Sweet tyropita (Cheese Pie). 

You do not need  to use muffin cases but as I was taking them to an event,  in the end I put them in the muffin cases for a better presentation and to avoid greasing our hands.

This and many more recipes are included in my cookbook Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste!

See how crunchy it is outside and how moist inside.

Tyropita (More Greek cheese pies)

Greek cuisine has many cheese pies. Here are a few more examples.

Greek Creased Cheese Pie (Patsavouropita)

Creased Cheese Pie is a different Greek pie called Patsavouropita (pronounced. pah-tsah-vou-RHO-pee-ta), which is very easy to make and tastes amazing.   This Greek pie is made by creasing each phyllo sheet and dipping it in a batter made with soda water, eggs and feta.

Get the Recipe

Tyropita with Kataifi, Feta and Four Cheeses

Tyropita (pronounced Ti-ROH-pee-tah) is usually made made with layers of buttered phyllo and filled with feta.   In this Tyropita I used Kataifi and five different kind of cheeses.  You can add only feta if you prefer and other cheese that melt well when baking.

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Tyropita Strifti (Greek Cheese Pie)

Tyropita (pronounced tee- ROH -pee-tah) from tyri = cheese and pita = pie and Strifti (pronounced stri-FTEE), which means twisted.  It takes it's name from the way the cheese pie is shaped.

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Tyropita with Kourou phyllo

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Tyropitakia (Cheese Triangles with Feta)

These tasty cheese-filled triangles are finger foods which can be served as appetizers, mezedes, side dishes, and snacks.

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Easy Feta Pie (Alevropita) in ten minutes

This Easy Feta Pie also called Alevropita, can't get any easier to make. It is made with a batter in which feta is crumbled inside and on top and it is ready in ten minutes.

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Tyropita me Maratho (Cheese and Fennel Pie)

A tyropita (cheese pie) made homemade phyllo, xinomyzithra and flavoured with wild fennel.

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Tyropita

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Psomotyri: The easiest Tyropita (Bread and Cheese Cake)

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Savory Pumpkin Tyropita

A savory pumpkin and cheese Tyropita (pie) made with leftover pumpkin pulp.

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Patsavouropita (the easiest Greek Tyropita - Cheese Pie)

Patsavouropita is a traditional Greek, delicious savory pie with phyllo and feta, which is very easy to make and tastes amazing.

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Kypriaki Tyropita (Savory Cypriot Cheese Cake)

Kypriaki Tyropita is a savoury Cypriot cake made with halloui and mint. Tyropita = τυρÏŒπιτα, (pronounced tee-RHO-pee-tah) means cheese from tyri and pie from pita.

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Flaounes (Cypriot Easter Cheese filled Bread)

Flaounes pr. flah-OU-ness (singular flaouna) is a traditional Cypriot Easter cheese bread made with an aromatic yeasted phyllo dough, filled with a special Cypriot cheese, called Pafitiko, made during the Easter period especially for flaounes,  flavoured with Masticha (mastic resin), mahlepi (mahleb) and mint.

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Tyropitari

Tyropitari pronounced Tee-rho-pee-TAH-ree, is a homemade Greek pastry filled with feta cheese and deep fried, which is served as an appetizer.

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Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!