Greek Recipes with May Lerios: Tiropita

For 15 people

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• 1 1/2 lb feta cheese (imported is best, but half-domestic-half-imported is fine, too), and

• 1 1/2 lb kasseri cheese.

These are some alternatives to kasseri cheese:

• swiss gruyere,

• swiss ementhal, or

• any combination of yellow cheeses.

These are some alternatives to feta cheese:

• cottage cheese,

• kasseri, or

• any of the above kasseri substitutes.

Open up and lay out

• sheets of phyllo dough (total quantity needed is 1 lb).

Layer four sheets on a baking pan (I recommend a 14x10x2 in³ pan) greased with

• corn oil (total quantity needed is 1/8 cup), margarine (one stick), or butter (unsalted). I prefer butter, which I melt in the microwave.

The phyllo sheets should cover the bottom as well as the sides. Grease the top sheet after placing the pack of four on the pan, and put another pack of four, and so on until you've used half the sheets. Then pour the cheese mixture; alternatively, you can pour half the mixture, a pack of four sheets, and then the rest of the mixture for a slightly thicker final look. Either way, use up the remaining sheets (layered incrementally in four-packs, and greased) to cover the mixture. Make sure you grease the top-most layer. Score the top sheets (i.e. those separating the top from the cheese mixture).

Beat and mix

• 4 eggs, and

• 1 pint (approximately 500 ml) whole milk.

Pour the mixture in the pan, making sure it seeps through the scored sheets and the sides of the pan.

Leave in the fridge for an hour. If desired, the dish can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer in this state (and defrosted in the microwave before proceeding).

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The tiropita ready for baking (or freezing).

Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until top phyllo turns golden brown. Occasionally, make sure that the vapor pathway (the scored top sheets) remains open.

Set aside for 2 hours. Place in fridge for 12 hours. Reheat in microwave first (for the mixture) and in toaster oven next (to make the phyllo crisp), and serve hot.

It is also possible to eat the dish 20 min after removing from oven, but a very slight bitter taste should be expected. Make sure you don't cover the pan during those 20 min, otherwise the phyllo will turn soggy.