Baking

Tiropita (Flaky, Cheesy, Greek Phyllo Pie)

2 min

Melt the butter and have a pastry brush ready before you unroll the phyllo, because the sheets dry out the second they hit air and a damp towel over the stack buys you the time you need. The filling is just feta and ricotta with an egg to bind, so the texture of the cheese does most of the talking. I fold these into flag triangles, one tablespoon of filling per strip, brushing butter as I go. They bake at 375 until the layers go gold and shatter when you bite in.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

Tiropita belongs to the family of Greek phyllo pies that goes back to the thin pastry sheets of the eastern Mediterranean, and "tyros" is simply the old Greek word for cheese. Every region and household has its own version, some baked as a big pan pie cut into squares, others folded into the handheld triangles here, which fits its reputation as an everyday snack rather than special-occasion food.

Tiropita is Greece’s answer to “what’s for snack?” Buttery, crispy phyllo wrapped around a creamy, tangy feta filling. Baked until golden. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or anytime you need cheese. Make extra. They vanish fast.

Makes 12 triangles.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat & Prep

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Thaw phyllo according to package directions. Keep covered with a damp towel while working (prevents drying).

Make Filling

In a bowl, mix feta, ricotta, egg, dill, and pepper until combined.

Assemble Triangles

Place one phyllo sheet on a work surface. Brush lightly with melted butter. Top with a second sheet. Brush again.

Cut into 3 long strips (about 4 inches wide). Place 1 tablespoon of filling at the bottom corner of each strip.

Fold corner over filling to form a triangle. Continue folding (like a flag) until the entire strip is folded. Brush top with butter.

Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling.

Bake

Place triangles on baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Serve

Cool 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Watch them disappear.

Summary

Prep Time: 20 min | Bake Time: 25 min | Total: 45 min

Yield: 12 triangles | Difficulty: Medium

Storage Notes

Fridge: 4 days. Reheat in oven or air fryer at 350°F for 5-7 minutes (crispy returns).
Freeze unbaked triangles: 3 months. Bake from frozen (add 5-7 minutes).
Never microwave — phyllo gets sad and floppy.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Yield

12 triangles

Ingredients

1 package (16 oz / 450g) phyllo dough, thawed
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted (or olive oil)

For the Filling:

8 oz (225g) feta cheese, crumbled
8 oz (225g) ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
1 large egg
1 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, chopped (optional)
¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

1
Preheat & Prep. Preheat & Prep. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Thaw phyllo according to package directions. Keep covered with a damp towel while working (prevents drying). 2 2
2
Make Filling. Make Filling. In a bowl, mix feta, ricotta, egg, dill, and pepper until combined. 3 3
3
Assemble Triangles. Assemble Triangles. Place one phyllo sheet on a work surface. Brush lightly with melted butter. Top with a second sheet. Brush again. Cut into 3 long strips (about 4 inches wide). Place 1 tablespoon of filling at the bottom corner of each strip. Fold corner over filling to form a triangle. Continue folding (like a flag) until the entire strip is folded. Brush top with butter. Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling. 4 4
4
Bake. Bake. Place triangles on baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. 5 5
5
Serve. Serve. Cool 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Watch them disappear

Swaps & Substitutions

Ricotta → cottage cheese works well; drain it first or the filling goes watery and the bottom layers won't crisp
Unsalted butter → salted butter is fine, just skip any added salt since feta is already salty; olive oil also works for a more savory, less rich result
Feta → there's no real substitute without losing the dish, but a firm, well-drained Greek feta beats the soft pre-crumbled tubs
Fresh dill → parsley, or leave the herbs out entirely; mint is a good less-common swap
Egg → for an egg-free filling, leave it out and add an extra spoonful of ricotta; the triangles hold together but are a touch more crumbly
Phyllo → no clean gluten-free swap; gluten-free phyllo is fragile and tears, so expect a patchier result

Questions & Answers

Can I assemble these ahead of time?

Yes. Fold the triangles, freeze them unbaked on a tray, then bake straight from frozen and add 5 to 7 minutes. They keep about 3 months frozen, which is the main reason I make a double batch.

Why did mine turn out soggy on the bottom?

Usually too much moisture in the cheese. Drain the ricotta or cottage cheese, don't overfill past a tablespoon per strip, and bake on parchment so steam can escape rather than pooling under the pastry.

My phyllo keeps cracking and tearing. What am I doing wrong?

It's drying out. Keep the unused stack covered with a damp towel, work one or two sheets at a time, and brush butter quickly. A few small tears won't matter once they're folded and baked.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat at 350 for 5 to 7 minutes to bring the crunch back. Skip the microwave; the phyllo turns soft and floppy.

Can I make this as one big pan pie instead of triangles?

Yes. Layer half the buttered phyllo in a dish, spread the filling, top with the rest brushing each sheet, score the top into squares before baking, and give it closer to 35 to 45 minutes until deeply golden.

Tiropita (Flaky, Cheesy, Greek Phyllo Pie)