Zeke's Tyropitas

Zeke's Tyropitas
Zeke's Tyropitas
My mother-in-law, Zeke Amendolara, showed me how to make these addictive little cheese turnovers. They are Greek in origin, but with the addition of a dry martini, very WASPy indeed! They freeze beautifully and will emerge golden and crispy from the oven in twenty minutes flat.
  • Preparing Time: -
  • Total Time: -
  • Served Person: Serves many (makes 36-48 small turnovers)
Greek Egg Appetizer Bake Feta Spring Cottage Cheese Parsley Phyllo/Puff Pastry Dough Sugar Conscious Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher
  • 1/4 cup grated romano cheese
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley
  • 4 large eggs, beaten
  • Carbohydrate 6 g(2%)
  • Cholesterol 38 mg(13%)
  • Fat 8 g(12%)
  • Fiber 0 g(1%)
  • Protein 4 g(8%)
  • Saturated Fat 4 g(22%)
  • Sodium 169 mg(7%)
  • Calories 107

PreparationMake the filling: Fold together the cheeses, eggs, parsley, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Assemble the tyropitas: For every 6 turnovers, you should use 2 layers of phyllo, liberally brushing each layer with melted butter. To assemble, start at the shorter end of the phyllo rectangle and cut into 6 even strips. Beginning at the far left lower corner of each strip, place 1/2 teaspoon of filling, and like folding an American flag, begin making right-angle turns until you have reached the end of the strip and you have a triangle-shaped pastry. Brush the turnovers liberally with butter and place them on wax paper. When all the triangles have been made, place them between layers of wax paper in a box or snap-top container and freeze. They can also be baked and eaten right away. Preheat your oven to 400°F, and bake the pastries for 12 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet (they already have enough butter). If they have been frozen they can go directly from the freezer to the oven for 20 minutes. They will be a pale golden color and very hot inside, so be careful with the first bite! Phyllo Dough Working with phyllo dough can be a frustrating experience if you ignore one important rule: Always defrost the dough slowly, overnight in your refrigerator. If you try to rush it you will lose half a box to sticky layers. Always keep the phyllo covered with a dry kitchen towel while working with it and brush layers liberally with melted butter.

PreparationMake the filling: Fold together the cheeses, eggs, parsley, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Assemble the tyropitas: For every 6 turnovers, you should use 2 layers of phyllo, liberally brushing each layer with melted butter. To assemble, start at the shorter end of the phyllo rectangle and cut into 6 even strips. Beginning at the far left lower corner of each strip, place 1/2 teaspoon of filling, and like folding an American flag, begin making right-angle turns until you have reached the end of the strip and you have a triangle-shaped pastry. Brush the turnovers liberally with butter and place them on wax paper. When all the triangles have been made, place them between layers of wax paper in a box or snap-top container and freeze. They can also be baked and eaten right away. Preheat your oven to 400°F, and bake the pastries for 12 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet (they already have enough butter). If they have been frozen they can go directly from the freezer to the oven for 20 minutes. They will be a pale golden color and very hot inside, so be careful with the first bite! Phyllo Dough Working with phyllo dough can be a frustrating experience if you ignore one important rule: Always defrost the dough slowly, overnight in your refrigerator. If you try to rush it you will lose half a box to sticky layers. Always keep the phyllo covered with a dry kitchen towel while working with it and brush layers liberally with melted butter.