Greek Tyropita: Greek Cheesepies with Traditional Phyllo From Scratch
Traditional Greek cheese pies made with thin homemade phyllo and a rich three-cheese filling. Crisp, golden tyropitakia with authentic technique.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the dough
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- a pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 5 tbsp water (approximately)
- 100 g graviera, grated
- 100 g kasseri, grated
- 100 g manouri, crumbled
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A splash of milk
- Olive oil, for brushing or spraying
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
- Make a well in the center and add the olive oil and vinegar.
- Start mixing to combine. Begin adding the water gradually, starting with about 60 g (4 tablespoons), until the dough comes together.
- The dough should be soft, smooth, and elastic, similar to play-doh. If it feels crumbly, add water a few drops at a time. If it becomes sticky, add a little flour, about ½ teaspoon, and reassess.
- Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until smooth and pliable. Divide it into four equal balls, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) and place a baking sheet inside to heat.
- In a bowl, mix all the filling ingredients until creamy but not runny.
- Place one dough ball on a well-floured surface, flatten it slightly, and roll it out into a very thin round sheet.
- The thinner the better; it should be almost translucent.
- Spray or brush the surface generously with olive oil.
- Fold the top and bottom edges toward the center, then the left and right edges, creating a square shape with overlapping petals.
- Add one tablespoon of filling in the center and fold the petals over the filling one by one to seal. Turn the pie seam-side down, place it on the hot baking sheet, and lightly oil the top.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.