Sheela PrakashSenior Contributing Food Editor
Sheela is the Senior Contributing Food Editor at Kitchn and the author of Mediterranean Every Day: Simple, Inspired Recipes for Feel-Good Food. She received her master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and is also a Registered Dietitian.
updated May 1, 2019
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Spanakopita is always a must-order for me whenever I visit a Greek restaurant. I love the way the salty, briny feta plays off the green, wholesome-tasting spinach and how it’s all encased in paper-thin, extra-crunchy phyllo dough. But there’s actually a whole world of Greek savory pies that is very much worth exploring — from kreatopita, which is filled with meat, to patatopita, which is filled with potatoes, and everything in between. In fact, when you see “pita” at the end of a Greek food, that means it’s a sweet or savory pie. So if you’re ready to dive into the world of Greek pies beyond tried-and-true spanakopita, I urge you to start with one of the most decadent (and a favorite of our Food Editor, Hali): cheese- and egg-filled tiropita.
What Is Tiropita?
Like spanakopia, tiropita is also a savory Greek pie that’s wrapped in a phyllo crust, but its filling is different than spanakopita. Instead of spinach, herbs, and feta, tiropita is filled with a mixture of cheese and eggs. The cheeses used vary widely from recipe to recipe, but feta is almost always a mainstay, along with some combination of cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese, or even Parmesan or Gouda.
Tiropita can be baked in one large dish, to be cut into squares, or baked into individual triangles. In Greece, it’s commonly eaten for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack, after a more simple breakfast of coffee and buttered bread.
Why You Should Try Tiropita
While biting into spanakopita feels a tiny bit wholesome, thanks to all the green spinach squished inside, tiropita feels purely decadent. Once you bite through the buttery, crispy phyllo dough crust, you’re greeted by the rich, salty filling — the cheese is what dominates the filling, but the egg actually gives it almost a custard-like consistency.
Get a recipe: Tiropitas from Alexandra’s Kitchen
Got a favorite Greek pie? Any we missed?
