How to Make Tyropitas

The bite-sized cheese pies called tyropitas are a traditional Greek appetizer. They consist of slightly salty feta cheese mixed with mild and sharp cheeses stuffed into buttery phyllo dough. The tyropitas bake crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They may also be frozen unbaked and thrown into the oven for unexpected guests.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• 1/2 lb. phyllo dough
• 1/2 lb. feta cheese
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 lb. Neufchatel cheese
• 4 oz. ricotta cheese
• 2 tbsp. Romano cheese
• 2 eggs
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 2 sticks butter, melted
• Baking sheets

1. Drain the feta if packed in brine and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and place in a bowl. Use a fork to crumble the feta into small pieces. Lay the phyllo out on a work table. Cover the dough, first with plastic wrap and then with a damp kitchen towel.
2. Combine the first 4 cheeses in a large bowl. Blend them well and then mix in the grated Romano cheese. Crack 2 large eggs into a small bowl and beat with a fork at least 2 minutes. Add the beaten eggs, white pepper, parsley and nutmeg to the cheeses in the large bowl. Stir the mixture vigorously, blending all ingredients.
3. Take 1 sheet of phyllo at a time, keeping the rest covered with the plastic wrap and towel. Lay the phyllo sheet on the work surface and brush with the melted butter. Cut the sheet lengthwise into 5 equal strips.
4. Fold the bottom of 1 strip of phyllo over 1/3 of itself. Place 1/2 tsp. cheese mixture on the folded end and fold over into a triangle. Continue folding this strip as if folding a flag until reaching the end.
5. Place the folded tyropitas on an ungreased baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Brush the tops with the melted butter. Repeat until there are no more phyllo sheets or mixture.
6. Bake for 15 minutes and then check the tyropitas. If the bottoms are golden brown, remove from the oven. Otherwise, return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until they turn golden brown. Serve immediately.