Tyropita me Maratho and Marathopitakia
Tyropita me Maratho means cheese pie with wild fennel. This is a traditional cheese pie, which my mother in law used to make with feta cheese and fennel.
Marathopitakia are the smaller ones made into turnovers with a few extra ingredients.
The Greek name for fennel is marathon (μάραθον) or marathos (μάραθος), and the place of the famous battle of Marathon (Μαραθώνας), literally means a plain with fennel.
Fennel grew everywhere in their villages so one way to use it was to make pies. However, they used freshly made feta when making it, when it is still soft.
During Easter when we went to Sparti we planned to make this tyropita. Near my sister in law's house lives a family who have sheep and they make feta often.
We wanted to buy some, however, we did not get lucky as they were not making feta during Easter.
When we came back to Athens I kept thinking of this recipe but never found fennel at the farmers' market.
One day, a long time after Easter, I finally found some fennel at the farmers' market.
Although it grows everywhere in the countryside, you rarely see it in the farmers market.
Coming back from the farmers' market with lots of vegetables and herbs, I decided to make it.
Instead of using fresh feta I decided to make it with fresh xinomyzithra, which some friends sent to us from Crete.
However, you can still make it using regular feta mixed with anthotyro, which is similar to ricotta. If you use feta, be careful with the addition of salt as feta is salty.
Take a look at some other Greek tyropitas
Patsavouropita, the easiest Greek Tyropita
Tyropita me Piperies (Savory Cheese Cake with Peppers)
Tyropita (many types of tyropita)
Now that it's summer and very hot, it's hard to stay at home, so I have been away during the weekend and we came back last evening.
Today I made this amazing tyropita, which we ate as a main dish. To accompy it, I made this delicious Watermelon salad with grilled halloumi!
Halloumi as you know is a quite salty cheese and it pairs well with something sweet, so in Cyprus during the summer we always eat Watermelon with halloumi so I made this Watermelon Salad and ate it with the tyropita.
The combination was heavenly, each bite was simultaneously sweet, salty, spicy, minty but mostly refreshing and delicious.
After the Beef and Pork Galette, I decided to use the provencal pastry to make this cheese pie.
Tyropita me Maratho (Cheese and Fennel Pie)
A tyropita (cheese pie) made with homemade phyllo, xinomyzithra and flavoured with wild fennel.
Scroll further down for the Marathopitakia.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup tepid water plus 2 tbsp
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Cheese filling:
- 500 grams xinomyzithra (or a mixture of feta and myzithra in any analogy you like)
- ½ cup graviera Cheese or halloumi (optional)
- 3 eggs
- 2 medium spring onions, white part and a little from the green part
- 1 cup wild fennel, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Olive oil for brushing on top
Instructions
- Prepare the dough according to instructions. Only ⅔ of the recipe is necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 180o C.
- Crumble myzithra cheese and grate graviera in a big bowl.
- Add the remaining filling ingredients and mix.
- Divide the dough into two pieces. One should be bigger than the other, as it will cover the sides of the baking tin. .
- Roll out two sheets of phyllo.
- Oil a 26 cm baking tin and place the biggest phyllo, covering the sides. Stretch with your hands if necessary.
- Put the cheese filling and spread it evenly.
- Cover with the second phyllo and cut whatever pieces are hanging out of the baking tin.
- Taking both phyllos press them together to join.
- Brush the surface with olive oil.
- With a sharp knife, lightly score the phyllo into pieces.
- Bake until golden brown, for about 1 hour.
You will find the recipe for the Marathopitakia further down in a new Recipe Card..
Notes
I used ⅔ of the dough. If you want to use it all, to make a bigger pie, use a 28 - 30 cm baking tin.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 302Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 84mgSodium 205mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 9g
"These values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed."
I added more herbs such as Swiss chard, which I boiled for 5 minutes and drained. Instead of Swiss Chard you may also use spinach.
You can fry them if you like but I preferred to bake them.
In Cyprus we would call these bourekia from the Turkish word borek and in Crete they are called kaltsounia, from the Italian Calzone.
Marathopitakia (cheese and fennel turnovers)
Marathopitakia are cheese and fennel turnovers
Ingredients
- Leftover phyllo dough
Filling:
- 2 cups xinomyzithra or feta, myzithra and graviera.
- 1 egg
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 bunch Swiss Chard, boiled for 5 minutes, finely cut (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup dill, finely chopped
- 1 cup fennel fronds, finely chopped
- ½ cup parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Extra olive oil for brushing on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180o C / 350o F.
- Boil, drain, squeeze out all water and cut the Swiss chard into smaller pieces.
- Add all the other filling ingredients in a bowl and mix.
- Roll out sheets of phyllo and placing a small tea plate on top, as a guide, cut out circles of phyllo, about 12 cm / 7 inch diameter.
- Add a tablespoon of filling at the edge, brush edges with water and cover with the remaining half. Press with a fork to join the dough.
- Oil a baking tin and place the turnovers next to each other. Brush them with olive oil on top.
- Bake until golden brown, for about 20 - 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Yield 16 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 100Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 28mgSodium 225mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 4g
"These values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed."
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Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!
That watermelon salad is very original and extremely appetizing! I bet it tastes wonderful! And your tyropita is just awesome!
Cheers,
Rosa xoxo
As lovely as the tyropita looks (and I do love tyropita, the watermelon looks even more delicious, given our hot weather, too. I love the idea of the combination of the watermelon and haloumi!
Jen of a2eatwrite's last blog post..Some Bloggy Stuff
Ok..I'm in love with the marathopitakia! And I also love the idea of the halloumi with watermelon...I love it all Ivy!...LOL. Enjoy the summer!
Peter G's last blog post..Baked Beef Ragu
I love ANYTHING involving haloumi! These sound absolutely delicious...wish I could just have some of yours...(airmail!?) 😀
girlichef's last blog post..June Wine- Merlot
Ivy, they all look so yumm! I haven't had my bf today and I really wouldn't mind digging into one of those! 🙂 Slurrrp!
Ria's last blog post..Thanks to all who attended my Birthday Party!! 🙂 Round up for the event 'Let's Celebrate '
Perfect summer salad!
Divya Vikram's last blog post..Rava laddoo for Indian Cooking Challenge
These look fab. Must put on the list. It would have been a fitting way to use a recent watermelon that wasn't as stellar as I would liked on it's own, as a salad it might have improved. Next time.
Marla's last blog post..Italian Style Quinoa Salad
Watermelon salad?! That's a new thing we have here! I have never tasted before...I am curious:)
Konstantina's last blog post..Involtini wonton aromatizzati al tè nero - ΡOλά wonton με άρωμα μαÏρOυ τσαγιOÏ
Juicy melon salad ,such a tasty side with the cheesy Tyropita,yum!
yasmeen's last blog post..I love Cilantro! :Cilantro Coconut-milk pasta.
Ivy, the karpouzi and the tyropitakia would be perfect to take to the beach. Have a mpanio for me!
Peter's last blog post..Hickory Pork Ribs
Oh, wow look at all this deliciousness! I love the watermelon salad with Halloumi, and both Tyropita and the Marathopitakias look soooo good!!!
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie's last blog post..Breakfast from Brazil - Bolo de fubá
These sound great together with all the different sweet and savory flavors. My favorite kind of meal.
Reeni's last blog post..Bodacious Black Bean Burgers
Havent heard of this before, looks yummy, loved the watermelon salad!
Parita's last blog post..Moroccan Sesame Roasted Potatoes
Love your cheese pies and watermelon with halloumi: very interesting. May I have some, please?
The tyropita sounds quite flavorful and the salad sounds so very refreshing. Love watermelon with a salty cheese and halloumi I am sure goes excellently.