In October 2021, I was in Athens with my sister who has been living and working
there for several years…
Among other things, we ate the traditional cheese pie “Tiropita”.
Tyropita or Tiropita is a Greek pastry made of layers of thinly rolled dough, spread with butter and filled with a mixture of cheese and eggs.
Since I was watching 24kitchen a few days ago, the show “Aki’s Food Tour” reminded me of Greek pies with various fillings.
For the first time in the history of television, one of the most famous Greek chefs, Akis Petretzikis, does not cook, but watches others and learns recipes.
He is accompanied by viewers who suggest places they would like to see in the series, but also locals who help him discover what “haute gastronomy” really means in the local kitchens, fields and mountains of Greece.
A little different, but very easy to prepare – Alevropita (Αλευρόπιτα, Greek Thin-Batter Feta Pie).
Alevropita (translated as Flour Pie) that’s quick and assembled less than the time it takes your oven to pre-heat.
Alevropita is a pie made with a flour-based batter which originates from north-western Greece, specifically Epirus. Epirotic cuisine is known for its pies, and among the many varieties available, this may be the simplest.
The literal translation of alevropita is flour pie (alevri is Greek for flour).
To prepare alevropita, a thin batter is prepared in about 5 minutes – less if you move really quickly, and crumbled feta sprinkled on top before baking. The end result is a thin and crispy bread-like pie that is truly delicious.
The bottom and top are crisp, the middle is soft, quiche-like and the star here is Feta cheese. Splurge on the good stuff (from Greece of course).
Here are photos of my tried-and-tested Alevropita and I can say that it is unusually interesting and good, especially crispy when freshly baked.
Recipe:
275 g plain flour
340 ml lukewarm water
40 ml milk
2 eggs (100g)
2 tablespoons full-fat yogurt
1 level teaspoon salt
Feta cheese, 300 g
20 g butter (cut into pieces)
4 tablespoons olive oil
Baking time = 20-25 min. 250 C
30-35 cm baking pan (must be slightly oiled and a few minutes warmed up in the oven)