‘Tiropita’ means ‘cheese pie’ in Greek and consists of layers of buttered filo pastry and a cheese egg filling. If you have ever wondered about the difference between a tiropita and a spanakopita, a tiropita has a mixture of Greek cheeses, whereas a spanakopita has spinach, herbs, such as dill and parsley, and Greek feta. Both are heavenly. This recipe calls for store-bought filo pastry, so there is no need to spend hours making it from scratch; we will leave that for the next book. We have included this recipe in our morning chapter as it’s a popular dish to eat for breakfast with a frappe, but who said you can’t eat it any time of the day? Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and mint. Add the eggs and yoghurt and mix until combined. Grease a 1.4 litre (47 fl oz) baking dish with butter and add two sheets of filo pastry, brushing each layer with butter. Top with another two sheets of pastry, but place them in the opposite direction, also brushing each layer with butter. Repeat this process with four more sheets of pastry. Spoon the cheese filling over the pastry and fold in the edges. Brush the remaining pastry sheets with butter, then use them to fill the gaps and cover the cheese filling, scrunching them up to create ruffles on top. Scatter the top of the tiropita with the sesame seeds and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Cut the tiropita into six pieces and serve with lemon wedges. CHEESE pIE 250 g (9 oz) Greek feta, crumbled 100 g (31/2 oz) kasseri cheese, grated 100 g (31/2 oz) kefalotyri, grated 2 teaspoons dried mint 2 eggs, lightly beaten 90 g (1/3 cup) Greek-style yoghurt 100 g (31/2 oz) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing 10 sheets filo pastry 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds lemon wedges, to serve PREP IS YOUR BEST FRIEND: The tiropita can be assembled the day before and stored, covered tightly, in the fridge overnight. PERFECTLY PAIRED WITH: If you’d like to serve the tiropita for lunch, we think it pairs perfectly with our OG Greek saláta (see page 133) and Pork and feta keftedes (see page 81). Three cheese tiropita 6 A FEA ST FOR 3233PEINÁOMOrNINgS‘Tiropita’ means ‘cheese pie’ in Greek and consists of layers of buttered filo pastry and a cheese egg filling. If you have ever wondered about the difference between a tiropita and a spanakopita, a tiropita has a mixture of Greek cheeses, whereas a spanakopita has spinach, herbs, such as dill and parsley, and Greek feta. Both are heavenly. This recipe calls for store-bought filo pastry, so there is no need to spend hours making it from scratch; we will leave that for the next book. We have included this recipe in our morning chapter as it’s a popular dish to eat for breakfast with a frappe, but who said you can’t eat it any time of the day? Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large bowl, combine the cheeses and mint. Add the eggs and yoghurt and mix until combined. Grease a 1.4 litre (47 fl oz) baking dish with butter and add two sheets of filo pastry, brushing each layer with butter. Top with another two sheets of pastry, but place them in the opposite direction, also brushing each layer with butter. Repeat this process with four more sheets of pastry. Spoon the cheese filling over the pastry and fold in the edges. Brush the remaining pastry sheets with butter, then use them to fill the gaps and cover the cheese filling, scrunching them up to create ruffles on top. Scatter the top of the tiropita with the sesame seeds and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Cut the tiropita into six pieces and serve with lemon wedges. CHEESE pIE 250 g (9 oz) Greek feta, crumbled 100 g (31/2 oz) kasseri cheese, grated 100 g (31/2 oz) kefalotyri, grated 2 teaspoons dried mint 2 eggs, lightly beaten 90 g (1/3 cup) Greek-style yoghurt 100 g (31/2 oz) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing 10 sheets filo pastry 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds lemon wedges, to serve PREP IS YOUR BEST FRIEND: The tiropita can be assembled the day before and stored, covered tightly, in the fridge overnight. PERFECTLY PAIRED WITH: If you’d like to serve the tiropita for lunch, we think it pairs perfectly with our OG Greek saláta (see page 133) and Pork and feta keftedes (see page 81). Three cheese tiropita 6 A FEA ST FOR 3233PEINÁOMOrNINgSThis centuries-old recipe is one of Greece’s most famous dishes. Yemista means ‘stuffed vegetables’, and this recipe can also be made without the mince for a vegetarian option. We love making yemista in summer when tomatoes are at their ripest. You can also use other vegetables such as potato, zucchini (courgette) and onion. Slice the tops off the peppers and tomatoes and set aside. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and membrane from the peppers and discard. Scrape the inside of the tomatoes onto a chopping board and chop the flesh. Set aside. Heat the olive oil, onion and garlic in a frying pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the mince and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until the meat is browned. Stir through the oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, pine nuts, tomato flesh and parsley, and season with salt flakes and cracked black pepper. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a large baking dish. Add the rice to the pan, followed by the boiling water, and stir through. Cook the rice, covered with a lid and stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes, until tender. Stir through the feta and remove from the heat. Spoon the lamb and rice mixture into the hollowed-out bell peppers and tomatoes, filling them to the top. Place the tops back on the vegetables, then transfer to the prepared dish. Drizzle the yemista with oil, then bake for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and golden. Serve the yemista hot with the grated mizithra and a few dill fronds scattered over the top. STuffEd vEgETablES 6 mixed bell peppers (capsicums) 8 large truss tomatoes 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 brown onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) lamb 2 tablespoons dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 35 g (1/4 cup) pine nuts 1/2 bunch parsley, leaves picked and chopped salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper 400 g (2 cups) medium-grain rice 1 litre (4 cups) boiling water 50 g (13/4 oz) Greek feta, crumbled 50 g (13/4 oz) mizithra cheese, finely grated dill fronds, to serve PREP IS YOUR BEST FRIEND: If she had family coming over, Yiayia would sometimes make the yemista the day before. We think they taste even better the next day, as the rice has had more time to absorb all the flavours. PERFECTLY PAIRED WITH: Our OG Greek saláta (see page 133) and a glass of Alpha Estate Xinomavro. Yemista 4–6 A FEA ST FOR 106bIg plaTES107PEINÁOThis centuries-old recipe is one of Greece’s most famous dishes. Yemista means ‘stuffed vegetables’, and this recipe can also be made without the mince for a vegetarian option. We love making yemista in summer when tomatoes are at their ripest. You can also use other vegetables such as potato, zucchini (courgette) and onion. Slice the tops off the peppers and tomatoes and set aside. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and membrane from the peppers and discard. Scrape the inside of the tomatoes onto a chopping board and chop the flesh. Set aside. Heat the olive oil, onion and garlic in a frying pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the mince and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until the meat is browned. Stir through the oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, pine nuts, tomato flesh and parsley, and season with salt flakes and cracked black pepper. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a large baking dish. Add the rice to the pan, followed by the boiling water, and stir through. Cook the rice, covered with a lid and stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes, until tender. Stir through the feta and remove from the heat. Spoon the lamb and rice mixture into the hollowed-out bell peppers and tomatoes, filling them to the top. Place the tops back on the vegetables, then transfer to the prepared dish. Drizzle the yemista with oil, then bake for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and golden. Serve the yemista hot with the grated mizithra and a few dill fronds scattered over the top. STuffEd vEgETablES 6 mixed bell peppers (capsicums) 8 large truss tomatoes 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 brown onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) lamb 2 tablespoons dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 35 g (1/4 cup) pine nuts 1/2 bunch parsley, leaves picked and chopped salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper 400 g (2 cups) medium-grain rice 1 litre (4 cups) boiling water 50 g (13/4 oz) Greek feta, crumbled 50 g (13/4 oz) mizithra cheese, finely grated dill fronds, to serve PREP IS YOUR BEST FRIEND: If she had family coming over, Yiayia would sometimes make the yemista the day before. We think they taste even better the next day, as the rice has had more time to absorb all the flavours. PERFECTLY PAIRED WITH: Our OG Greek saláta (see page 133) and a glass of Alpha Estate Xinomavro. Yemista 4–6 A FEA ST FOR 106bIg plaTES107PEINÁOThis recipe is three generations old – it belongs to our great-grandmother, Vaso. Traditionally, this recipe is not baked with citrus slices on top, but we have added our touch to make it a little more modern. We’ve used blood oranges but orange and lemon also work nicely. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease a 20 cm × 30 cm (8 in × 12 in) baking tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. To make the citrus syrup, place the ingredients and 125 ml (1/2 cup) of water in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until a syrup forms. Set aside to cool. Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the semolina, desiccated coconut, flour, baking powder, butter, vanilla and blood orange zest and whisk until the ingredients are completely combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and arrange the blood orange slices on top. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake and set aside for 15 minutes before serving. This will allow the syrup to absorb through the cake. You can also serve the cake cool with hot syrup poured over the top – simply reheat the syrup for a few minutes. SEMOlINa CaKE 5 eggs 230 g (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar 180 g (61/2 oz) fine semolina 90 g (1 cup) desiccated coconut 150 g (1 cup) self-raising flour, sifted 2 teaspoons baking powder 250 g (9 oz) unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 1 tablespoon finely grated blood orange zest 2 small blood oranges, finely sliced CITRUS SYRUP 230 g (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar 5 cloves 6 strips of lemon zest 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange or blood orange juice PREP IS YOUR BEST FRIEND: This cake is best made on the day you plan to eat it. Citrus revani 8–10 A FEA ST FOR 180SwEETS181PEINÁOThis recipe is three generations old – it belongs to our great-grandmother, Vaso. Traditionally, this recipe is not baked with citrus slices on top, but we have added our touch to make it a little more modern. We’ve used blood oranges but orange and lemon also work nicely. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease a 20 cm × 30 cm (8 in × 12 in) baking tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. To make the citrus syrup, place the ingredients and 125 ml (1/2 cup) of water in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until a syrup forms. Set aside to cool. Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the semolina, desiccated coconut, flour, baking powder, butter, vanilla and blood orange zest and whisk until the ingredients are completely combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and arrange the blood orange slices on top. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake and set aside for 15 minutes before serving. This will allow the syrup to absorb through the cake. You can also serve the cake cool with hot syrup poured over the top – simply reheat the syrup for a few minutes. SEMOlINa CaKE 5 eggs 230 g (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar 180 g (61/2 oz) fine semolina 90 g (1 cup) desiccated coconut 150 g (1 cup) self-raising flour, sifted 2 teaspoons baking powder 250 g (9 oz) unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 1 tablespoon finely grated blood orange zest 2 small blood oranges, finely sliced CITRUS SYRUP 230 g (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar 5 cloves 6 strips of lemon zest 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange or blood orange juice PREP IS YOUR BEST FRIEND: This cake is best made on the day you plan to eat it. Citrus revani 8–10 A FEA ST FOR 180SwEETS181PEINÁONext >