Origins of Tyropita

Try making tyropita for a taste of true Greek cuisine.

Tyropita, a delicious pastry dish popular in Greece, demonstrates Greek food culture's love of cheese and dairy products.

The Name

The name itself provides an explanation of the food, with "tyro" meaning cheese, and "pita" being a pie. This Greek cheese pie resurfaces in many different forms, throughout the kitchens of Greece.

How It's Made

Tyropita is traditionally made by crumbling feta cheese between flaky layers of oiled or buttered phyllo dough. Classic variations include using other Greek cheeses, such as anthotyro or myzithra, or by substituting the normal phyllo with kataifi, a shredded dough, similar in appearance to angel hair pasta.

When It's Consumed

Tyropita and the similar spanakopita are consumed during a typical Greek mid-morning meal, a few hours after a breakfast of Turkish coffee and bread and honey. This mid-morning meal is followed by a light lunch at 1:30, later than what is considered in the norm in most western countries.

References

• Kopiaste: Tyropita
• Serving History: Tyropita