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Greek tiropita cheese pie is a baked phyllo pastry filled with feta, ricotta, eggs and a little milk, baked until the top turns deep golden and crisp. The layers shatter a bit when you cut into them, and the middle stays soft and creamy.
The flavor is mostly salty from the feta, with the ricotta softening that edge and a bit of dill running through. The buttered phyllo adds the crunch, so every bite has both a crisp layer and a soft one.
I make this when I want something that looks like more effort than it is. Once the filling is mixed, the whole thing comes together in one dish, no rolling or shaping individual pieces needed.
One thing to watch for: phyllo dries out fast once it’s out of the package. Keep the sheets you’re not using under a damp towel, or they’ll crack and tear before you can even brush them with butter.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One baking dish, no individual shaping or folding required
- Feta and ricotta keep the filling salty but not overly sharp
- Good for brunch, a light dinner, or cut small as an appetizer
- Freezes well unbaked, so you can prep it days ahead
Ingredient Notes
- phyllo dough: Thaw it in the fridge overnight if frozen. Work fast once it’s unwrapped and keep unused sheets under a damp towel.
- feta cheese: Use block feta and crumble it yourself for the best texture. It’s salty, so taste the filling before adding extra salt.
- ricotta cheese: Drain it in a sieve for 10 minutes if it looks watery. Cottage cheese, drained and blended briefly, works as a substitute.
- fresh dill: This is the classic herb for tiropita, but fresh mint or parsley also work if that’s what you have.
- unsalted butter: Melted butter brushed between every sheet is what makes the phyllo crisp. Don’t skip layers to save time.
Greek Tiropita: Crispy Feta and Phyllo Cheese Pie
Ingredients
Method
- In a mixing bowl, crumble the feta and add the ricotta. Mash them together with a fork until you get a chunky, spreadable mix.
- Add the eggs, milk, dill, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until combined. Feta is salty on its own, so taste a bit before adding any extra salt.
- Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Brush a 33 x 23 cm / 9 x 13 inch baking dish with melted butter.
- Unroll the phyllo sheets and keep them covered with a damp kitchen towel while you work. Phyllo dries out fast and cracks if left uncovered for even a minute or two.
- Lay one sheet of phyllo in the dish, letting the edges hang over the sides, and brush with melted butter. Repeat with 9 more sheets, brushing each one, to build the base.
- Spread the cheese filling evenly over the phyllo base.
- Top with the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter, and tuck the overhanging edges back over the top to seal the pie.
- Using a sharp knife, score the top layers into 8 pieces, cutting through the top 2 to 3 sheets only, not down to the filling.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and crisp and the edges have pulled slightly from the dish.
- Let the pie cool in the dish for 10 minutes before slicing along the scored lines. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Drain ricotta well before mixing, or the filling can turn soggy.
- Keep unused phyllo sheets covered with a damp towel at all times.
- Score the top layers before baking, not after, for clean slices.
- Rest the pie for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
Tips for Success
- Keep unused phyllo sheets under a damp towel, or they’ll dry out and crack before you can layer them.
- Drain the ricotta in a sieve for 10 minutes if it looks watery, so the filling doesn’t turn soggy.
- Score the top phyllo layers before baking, so you can cut clean slices once the pie has cooled.
- Brush every single phyllo sheet with butter, top and bottom layers included, for the crispest result.
- Let the pie rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, or the warm filling will spill out.
Variations
- Add 200 g chopped spinach, wilted and squeezed dry, to the filling for a version closer to spanakopita.
- Swap the dill for fresh mint or parsley if you want a different herb note in the filling.
- Cut phyllo into strips and fold small spoonfuls of filling into triangles for individual hand pies instead of one large pie.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover tiropita in the fridge for up to 4 days, covered or in an airtight container.
Reheat squares in the oven at 180 C / 350 F for about 10 minutes to bring the top back to crisp. Skip the microwave, it softens the phyllo and the pie loses its crunch.
You can also freeze baked leftovers for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven as above.
Serving Suggestions
Serve tiropita warm as part of a Greek-style brunch, next to a simple salad of tomatoes, cucumber and olives.
Cut it into small squares for a party table, much like these crispy baked feta rolls, or a picnic basket, since it holds up fine at room temperature.
For a light dinner, pair a slice with plain yogurt and a squeeze of lemon, or a glass of chilled white wine.
FAQ
Why is my tiropita soggy in the middle instead of crisp on top?
Soggy filling usually means the ricotta or feta held too much liquid before baking. Drain the ricotta well and pat crumbled feta dry with a paper towel before mixing. Also check that you brushed every phyllo layer with butter, since that’s what actually crisps the sheets as they bake.
Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta in this tiropita recipe?
Yes, drained cottage cheese works as a swap for ricotta. Blend it briefly so it’s less lumpy, then mix it with the feta as usual. The texture ends up a bit looser, but the flavor stays close to the original.
Can I assemble tiropita ahead and freeze it unbaked?
Yes, this is one of the easiest ways to get ahead on it. Layer and fill the pie, score the top, wrap it tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen at 180 C / 350 F, adding 15 to 20 extra minutes.
What goes well with Greek tiropita cheese pie?
A simple Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumber and olives, or even a scoop of roasted carrot hummus with feta, balances the richness of the pie. Plain yogurt or a squeeze of lemon on the side cuts through the buttery layers too. It also works well for brunch alongside fresh fruit.
Is Greek tiropita cheese pie gluten free?
No, regular tiropita is not gluten free because phyllo dough is made from wheat flour. You can find gluten-free phyllo sheets in some stores if you need to adapt this, though the texture will be more fragile and harder to layer.
What’s the difference between tiropita and spanakopita?
Tiropita is a phyllo pie filled with cheese only, usually feta and ricotta or cottage cheese. Spanakopita adds spinach to that same cheese filling. Both use the same buttered phyllo technique seen in this crispy Greek potato and feta pie, so the baking method and texture come out almost identical.