What do you call this golden, cheesy six-ingredient pie? A Greek legend

Name: What do you call this golden, cheesy six-ingredient pie? A Greek legend
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 300g Greek feta, crumbled; 200g firm, full-fat ricotta; 100ml full-cream milk; 5 eggs, lightly whisked; 12 sheets filo pastry; 80ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Brushing some of the filling onto the top gives this simple tiropita a burnished, salty finish.

Julia Busuttil Nishimura

May 9, 2025

Serve tiropita with a Greek or leafy salad on the side. William Meppem

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:6

I’m very fond of Greek pies, both sweet and savoury, and always keep a packet of filo pastry in my fridge for when the urge to bake one arises. This Greek cheese pie, called tiropita, is a firm favourite.

While the ricotta isn’t traditional, I love how it softens the saltiness of the feta. You can add herbs, such as dried mint or fresh dill, to the mix, too, or top the final layer of filo with sesame seeds. I prefer to keep things simple, though, just brushing some of the cheese filling onto the top to give the pie a burnished, salty finish. Serve with a simple Greek or leafy salad.

Ingredients

300g Greek feta, crumbled
200g firm, full-fat ricotta
100ml full-cream milk
5 eggs, lightly whisked
12 sheets filo pastry
80ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional). Brush a 23cm round baking tin with olive oil and set aside.
Step 2
In a large bowl, place the feta, ricotta, milk and eggs. Whisk well to combine, then season with a little salt and plenty of black pepper. Reserve two tablespoons of the mixture and set aside.
Step 3
Brush one sheet of filo pastry with olive oil and place it gently in the greased baking tin, allowing the sheet to overhang. Brush another sheet with olive oil and layer it in the tin over the first sheet. Brush and layer one more sheet, so you have a total of three sheets in the tin.
Step 4
Pour in one-third of the cheese mixture, then repeat the brushing and layering with another three sheets of filo.
Step 5
Pour in another third of the cheese mixture, followed by three more oil-brushed sheets.
Step 6
Pour in the final third of the cheese mixture and finish the pie by topping it with three more filo sheets, each one brushed with oil.
Step 7
Use a sharp knife to trim any pastry hanging over the tin’s edge. Roll down the pastry edges into the pie to create a rounded border and brush the top of the pastry with oil. Pour over the reserved cheese mixture and spread to evenly distribute.
Step 8
Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until golden, crunchy and cooked through. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, remove from the tin, then slice and serve.