Greek Cheese Pie (Tiropita)

Ingredients

• 0.6 lb Greek feta cheese (Prefer a good-quality block packed in brine; Mt. Vikos and Dodoni are recommended.)
• 12 oz Gruyère cheese (Grated.)
• 3.5 oz Philadelphia cream cheese (About half of the classic package.)
• 1 cup Milk (Poured over the assembled pie before baking.)
• 4 Eggs (Medium-average size; use 3 large eggs if using large eggs.)
• 1 box Phyllo sheets (Preferably large sheets; the package is divided for the base and topping, with two sheets reserved for the top. Keep unused sheets covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.)
• 1.5 sticks Butter (Melted.)
• 1 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper (To taste.)
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (Sprinkled over the top before baking.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. 2

   Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, combine the feta, grated Gruyère, cream cheese, fresh thyme leaves, eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined.

4. 4

   Brush two phyllo sheets with melted butter. Lay them gently in the baking pan one at a time, allowing the edges to hang over the sides if the sheets are larger than the pan; these overhanging edges will later form the border.

5. 5

   Butter two more phyllo sheets and place them across the remaining sides of the pan so the base is covered. Make sure all exposed phyllo edges are buttered so they do not dry out while you work.

6. 6

   Divide the remaining phyllo sheets in half. Set one half aside under a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.

7. 7

   Brush each sheet from the first half with melted butter, gently crumple it, and place it in the pan. Repeat until all sheets from that half have been used, forming the crumpled phyllo base.

8. 8

   Spread the prepared cheese mixture evenly over the crumpled phyllo base.

9. 9

   Set aside two phyllo sheets for the top. Use the remaining half of the package to cover the cheese filling, brushing each sheet with butter, gently crumpling it, and layering it over the filling. If desired, reverse the direction of the layers for a more rustic texture.

10. 10

    Butter the final two phyllo sheets and lay them flat over the top.

11. 11

    Gently bring the overhanging phyllo edges into the pan and fold them inward to create a border. Score the top gently with a sharp knife.

12. 12

    Pour the milk evenly over the pie, then sprinkle the sesame seeds generously over the top.

13. 13

    Let the assembled pie stand for 10 minutes so the milk can absorb.

14. 14

    Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 10 minutes.

15. 15

    Remove the foil and continue baking for 30 minutes, or until the pie is cooked through and the top is beautifully golden brown.

Notes

The source recommends authentic Greek feta packed in brine and advises avoiding low-fat or pre-crumbled feta. The pie keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days and is make-ahead friendly. The exact phyllo package weight and baking-pan size are not specified in the structured recipe data.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• savory pie
• baked
• vegetarian
• Greek
• cheese
• phyllo
• make-ahead