By Raphael Giannelis
Farmer, small business owner and Mediterranean Food Hero from Lemnos Greece.

Learn more about Raphael

Tyropitoudja

Tyropitoudja are crisp and golden parcels of phyllo pastry wrapped around melted salty cheese – a popular Greek snack. These mini cheese pies are made with Melipasto cheese, a traditional Lemnian staple.
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Prep: 1 hour | Cook: 30 minutes | Makes: 12 – 15 pieces

For the phyllo pastry:

  • 9 tbsp of wheat flour
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 tbsp of vinegar
  • 1 tbsp of oil, preferably from a seed
  • Water as needed

For the filling:

  • A round of cheese (Kalathaki or Melipasto)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Two green onions
  • Mint and dill (fennel) finely chopped
  • Two eggs
  1. Make the phyllo pastry by mixing the dry ingredients with water until it becomes a tight ball of dough.
  2. Stretch the dough on a clean surface using a rolling pin and a little bit of cornstarch to absorb extra moisture. Roll out the dough until you have a very thin crust. This your phyllo pastry.
  3. Crumble the cheese into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients, combining everything with a spoon.
  4. Cut the phyllo pastry into long even strips and then into small squares.
  5. Place a spoonful of the cheesy filling in the center of each square and fold over like an envelope.
  6. Fry in a pan on medium heat with plenty of oil.
  7. Enjoy them hot or cold!

Did You Know?

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