Name: Tyropita Strifti (Greek Cheese Pie)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Greek Cuisine
Ingredients: 300 grams feta; 400 grams anthotyro which were mixed together; 2 tbsp mint (optional); Freshly grated black pepper (optional); 1 cup olive oil; 500 grams all purpose flour (or bread flour); 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 tablespoon wine vinegar; 200 ml water (about 1 cup)

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Tyropita (pronounced tee- ROH -pee-ta) 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.

This pita (pie) is made in Northern Greece, known as Kozanitiko Kihi and it is baked in the oven. The homemade phyllo is crispy and crunchy but it can also be made with store bought phyllo. A similar pita is made called Skopelitki or gianniotiki have the same shape but these are pan fried instead.

Elia making phyllo and tyropita srifti for the first time image

This is one of the most delicious cheese pies , which was made by my daughter, with an extra crispy homemade phyllo, which she made from scratch and a filling of feta and anthotyros, which is a whey cheese, similar to ricotta!

If you follow my recipe with video showing you How to make Dough and step by step videos for Making the phyllo with a rolling pin or even much easier using the pasta machine you will never buy ready made phyllo!

Feta and anthotyros image — Feta on the left and anthotyros on the right

The amount of dough is for two round baking tins 30 cm in diametre and half the amount of cheese is added in each one. You can make one larger one if you have to feed a crowd or even make it in a square or rectangular baking tin by placing each twisted roll next to each other.

You can also add an egg in the filling if you like and if you don’t like mint and pepper, you can leave them out.

Tyropita Strifti (Greek Cheese Pie)

You will need dough to make phyllo. You can make your own phyllo following the links above or use store bought phyllo.

If you join the coil it will make a nice spiral but I prefer to keep it spaced apart so that all the roll is baked evenly. If using a square or rectangular baking tin, place it next to the other in a row, preferably again spaced apart.

You can use any kind of Greek cheese to make a Tyropita. Feta is the star but as feta is salty you can mix it with anthotyros to balance the saltiness.

More cheeses, like graviera, kasseri, halloumi, etc can be combined with feta. If you cannot find any of the above cheeses try using, Gouda, Gruyere, ricotta, pecorino etc.

Usually nothing else is added in the filling apart from feta. However mint and pepper are a wonderful combination which I urge you to try.

Tyropita Strifti (Greek Cheese Pie)

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

Tyropita (pronounced tee- ROH -pee-ta) 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.

Ingredients

For the dough

500 grams all purpose flour (or bread flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
200 ml water (about 1 cup)

Filling:

300 grams feta
400 grams anthotyro which were mixed together
2 tbsp mint (optional)
Freshly grated black pepper (optional)
1 cup olive oil

Instructions

Prepare the dough
Take a piece of dough the size of about a tennis ball and form it into a ball. Flatten it and roll it out to make a thin phyllo. See video How to make homemade phyllo.
Brush it with olive oil
Crumble the cheese using a fork.
Add crumbled dried mint and mix.
Grease a 30 x 40 cm (12 x 15.75”) or 30 cm - 12” baking tin with olive oil. The remaining olive oil will be used to brush the phyllo.
Put some cheese scattered to cover the surface of the phyllo.
As you roll press the two edges so that the filling will not come out.
After each roll, brush it with olive oil and when done, twist the two ends towards opposite direction. This will stretch the dough and make it even bigger.
Take one end, put it in the baking tin and make a coil.
If using a square or rectangular baking tin, place it next to the other in a row, preferably again spaced apart. Brush the phyllo on top with olive oil. At this stage you can cover it with cling film and freeze it.
In half of the cheese I added an egg. Rolling and brushing to separate layers.
Preheat oven to 180o C / 350° F and bake for about 1 hour or until golden on top.

Notes

This makes 2 tyropita and about 12 servings

Nutrition Information

Yield 12 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 436Total Fat 28gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 22mgSodium 423mgCarbohydrates 37gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 8g

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.Â Â This Greek pie is made by creasing each phyllo sheet and dipping it in a batter made with soda water, eggs and feta.

Tyropita with Kataifi, Feta and Four Cheeses

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

Tyropita Strifti (Greek Cheese Pie)

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

Tyropita with Kourou phyllo

Tyropitakia (Cheese Triangles with Feta)

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

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.

Tyropita me Maratho (Cheese and Fennel Pie)

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

Tyropita

Psomotyri: The easiest Tyropita (Bread and Cheese Cake)

Savory Pumpkin Tyropita

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

Patsavouropita (the easiest Greek Tyropita - Cheese Pie)

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

Kypriaki Tyropita (Savory Cypriot Cheese Cake)

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

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, Â flavoured with Masticha (mastic resin), mahlepi (mahleb) and mint.