Our tenth progressive dinner was this past Friday and the theme we chose was Greece. We chose Greece for a couple of reasons: we figured we would be knee deep in snow and a tip of the hat to the warm climate and mediterranean cuisine would be just what the doctor ordered and the other reason is that two of our neighbours were just there this summer visiting family!
Fortunately, winter has been somewhat mild this year (shhhhhhh)…not overly cold and although we have had a few flakes, we certainly don’t have the (any) accumulation we have had in the past. Here is a little blast from the past (December 11, 2014) for good measure! Click on the images to see a larger version.
This hors d’œuvres freezes very well but you have to be very careful as the pastry becomes very brittle over time in the freezer. With all the holiday cheer going on in the next few weeks, I’m sure I’ll be popping a few in the oven every weekend for visitors.
Tiropitakia
Makes 48 5 cm (2 inch) triangles
Ingredients:
- 300 g Greek Feta cheese, crumbled
- 160 g goats cheese, crumbled
- 25 g Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
- 2 eggs, beaten lightly
- 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- pinch of nutmeg
- freshly ground pepper
- 8 sheets phyllo pastry, cut into 5 cm (2 inch) strips, long side.
- 150 g unsalted butter, melted
Directions:
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the two eggs and pulse to beat slightly. Add all of the cheese and pulse a few times to combine well (do not turn into a paste). Add the parsley, nutmeg and freshly ground pepper and pulse to incorporate. Set aside.
- Cut each phyllo sheet into six, 5 cm (2 inch) strips along the long side. Brush generously with the melted butter. Add one tablespoon of the filling to one side of the long strip and begin to fold into a triangle as the diagram below suggests. Continue until you have used up all of the filling. I was able to get 48 triangles.
- Bake in a pre-heated 400° F (200° C) oven for 13-15 minutes or until nicely browned. Freeze on a piece of parchment and then gently place into a ziplock bag for future. Reheat frozen triangles at 350° F (176° C) for 10-12 minutes or until warmed through.
Notes
- This recipe can also be made into squares. Use 5 sheets of Phyllo, generously buttered, in a 9″ x 9″ square pan. Add the filling and top with 5 additional, generously buttered sheets. Fold in the edges to make a neat square, add 2 more sheets, generously buttered, cut to the exact size (to make it pretty). Butter. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until nicely browned on top.
- If you wish to save calories, skip the butter on each strip, just butter the triangle, both sides.
- Some recipes added dill, but it was not comment.
Luckily,we have no shortage of Greek restaurants in town, Eva, and I’m no stranger to tiropitakia. Love it! And what a great idea to have a Greek/Mediterranean theme for your progressive dinner. You and your friends really do know how to enjoy each others’ culinary skills and company. Your dinners always sounds like such fun.
This weather is really unbelievable. I noticed some of my spring bulbs have broken round in my back yard! I’m afraid to look at my front yard’s flower beds. They normally bloom a couple weeks before my back yard’s beds. Well,it’s a small price to pay if it means the snowblower goes without use this winter. 🙂
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Thank you so much Joh,, the tiropitakia worked out very well and the progressive dinners are always such fun. It’s too bad about the bulbs, ours are still tucked under but I worry about the lilac and the Japanese Cherry in the front, I can see the buds are considering opening and if we get snow (as I’m sure we will) and sub zero temperatures, it will surely freeze the blooms off. I am glad that we haven’t had the huge snow falls we have in past years, although I am missing my workout!
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I’ve heard you’re having a mild winter. I have a blogging friend in Minnesota and there’s no snow there either – unheard of for this time of the year. In the meantime, we’re sweltering and the heat is making me quite fatigued while I struggle to rush around doing all that needs to be done in the next few days. Your tiropitakia appetisers look really good – I’m a very big fan of Greek cuisine – great choice xx
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It is crazy weather, Charlie. But I’m not complaining because I’m not a huge fan of the extreme cold.
I watched your video of Australian Christmas in the 50’s and it made me wonder if our Christmas weather would have been so widely known in Australia back then. Would you have had American TV and movies? Just wondering.
With the internet making the world so small these days I just wonder how much we really knew of one another 60 years ago, in general.
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I hope the snow is still absent, Eva. It’s 15c/60f in the UK at the minute. Madness. What better dish to have than a lovely Greek filo pastry. Delicious.
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Yes indeed, the snow is still quite absent but it has gotten a bit chillier -2.5c, a far cry from the usual! Although, Christmas Eve is forecast for 11c!
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I love your progressive dinners! These cheese-filled triangles were the perfect way to kick off your Greek feast!
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Thank you so much Liz, they have been so much fun.
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Boy, Mediterranean cuisine sure is appropriate for our weather — it’s been downright balmy all month! Anyway, those look lovely — so tasty. Greek food is wonderful, isn’t it? We’re lucky — we live about a 10 minute walk from a really fun Greek restaurant! Good stuff — thanks.
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Thank you John, the weather has indeed been a bit wacky. How fortunate to live so close to a good Greek place.
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Your triangles are perfect! Your progressive dinners always fill me with just a bit of envy. In a good way. 🙂 What a wonderful way to keep up with friends.
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Thank you so much Maureen, we are indeed very fortunate to get on with our neighbours so well; these dinners are quite fun and I’m so glad that they are game!
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These look very appropriately decadent. I LOVE Greek food. 🙂 It’s been ridiculously warm here so far…almost 80 last weekend. I’m glad for you that the snow is staying away, but wish our weather was a bit more “seasonal.” Ours is actually closer to that of Greece!
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I know what you mean Betsy, we have our shovels poised but almost no chance of using them. Although I must say that in years past we’ve had more than our share of snow, so on Christmas Eve, if we get a light dusting I’ll be happy, but then it can melt and be mild again.
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I can hear the crispiness of the pastry already Eva! Great idea making these cheese only to really upp the crisp and flavour factor. And yay for mild Winters 🙂 You’ll have to come to Australia one year for Christmas and have a sunny one 😀
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It would be amazing to experience Christmas down under. Is it as hot as it has been in the recent past? Your summers seem so extremely hot to me, particularly since A/C is not widely used. I don’t do well in the extreme heat, nor the extreme cold!
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Delicious. I’m happy not to have to pay to have snow shovelled yet this year. Maybe just a bit before Xmas day to put us in the mood. 🙂
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I totally agree!
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Very nice Eva! And yes, let’s quietly appreciate this mild winter we’re currently having 😀
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Quietly, so the Gods of snow don’t get wind of our glee!😍
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We only have had melting snow for a while now. I didn’t buy my Christmas tree yet. We are a bit late this year! Lovely filled pockets! Yumm! A lovely recipe for me to try out! Yum!
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What a lovely 3-cheese twist on the Greek savoury pastry! And you triangles are beautiful (I’m not patient enough, so I always make rolls instead… my triangles are too ugly!). I understand too well how wonderful it is to bring from time to time a ray of sunshine with food coming from warmer regions…
You must be glad to have a mild winter! I always hope for one too.
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We have a way too mild winter this year too..not sight of snow at all. These Greek pastries look wonderfully delicious, Eva.
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Thank you Angie, it does seem strange to have such a mild winter, but I’m not complaining at all.
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Your Greek appetizers must have been popular…they look so crispy.
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Thank you kindly Karen, yes indeed they were popular and tasty.
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