Tyropitakia – small Greek filo triangles with cheese Recipe
Tyropitakia are small, crispy filo pastry triangles filled with salty cheese. In Greece they appear at parties, picnics and as a snack with coffee or wine, a bit like our savoury pastries, only much lighter and crunchier. They’re perfect for gatherings because you can eat them with your hands, no plate or cutlery needed.
These little filo triangles combine the salty richness of feta with the light, shattering crunch of filo pastry. They’re easy to prepare in advance and bake straight from the freezer, making them an ideal, low-effort party snack that always disappears first from the table.
Chef's tips
Work quickly with the filo and keep the sheets covered with a damp cloth so they don’t dry out and crack. Don’t overfill the triangles – too much filling will make them burst open in the oven. Brush the pastry with just a thin layer of oil: enough to make it crisp, but not so much that it becomes greasy.
How to serve
Serve warm or at room temperature with a lemony yogurt dip, tzatziki or simply with lemon wedges. They go very well with white wine, light beer or iced tea. On a mezze-style platter, pair them with olives, fresh vegetables, hummus and other small bites.
Ingredients
- filo pastry defrosted if previously frozen - 250 g
- feta cheese crumbled - 250 g
- semi-fat twaróg (Polish fresh cheese) well drained - 150 g
- egg 1 for the filling, 1 for brushing - 2 piece
- Greek yogurt - 2 tablespoon
- dill chopped, optional - 1 tablespoon
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoon
- olive oil for brushing the pastry - 80 ml
- sesame seeds for sprinkling, optional - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- In a bowl, mix the crumbled feta, twaróg, 1 egg, yogurt, dill and pepper. The mixture should be thick and easy to scoop with a teaspoon; if it’s too runny, add a bit more twaróg.
- Carefully unroll the filo pastry. Cover it with a damp cloth so it doesn’t dry out while you work.
- Take one sheet of pastry and lightly brush it with olive oil using a pastry brush. Cut it lengthwise into 3 long strips about 7–8 cm wide.
- Place a teaspoon of cheese filling at the end of each strip. Fold one corner of the strip diagonally over the filling to form a triangle, then keep folding over diagonally, all the way to the end of the strip. You’ll get a small, sealed triangle.
- Arrange the finished triangles on the baking tray. Prepare the remaining pastry and filling in the same way.
- Beat the second egg in a small bowl. Brush the tops of the triangles with it and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the triangles are golden and crispy. Serve slightly cooled so the filling doesn’t burn your mouth.
Storage
Upieczone trójkąty przechowuj w lodówce w pudełku, podgrzewaj kilka minut w piekarniku, aby odzyskały chrupkość. Można je też zamrozić przed pieczeniem i piec bez rozmrażania, wydłużając czas o kilka minut.
