Tiropita

Ingredients:

1 box filo dough (1lb) keep in refrigerator until ready to use
1/2lb imported feta cheese
1/2lb domestic feta cheese
1/2 cup grated romano cheese
12oz cottage cheese (small curd)
3 egg yolks (yolks only)
1 pinch salt
2 sticks butter

Cheese Mixture Preparation:

place the three (3) egg yolks and one (1) pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl, crumble all the feta cheese into the mixing bowl using a fork, add approximately 10oz of the cottage cheese and 3/4 of the romano cheese and mix well using a fork. while mixing make sure that all of the feta has been thouroly crumbled into small pieces.

add remaining romano and cottage cheeses until taste is lightly sharp (the taste of the mixure should be sharp not mild)

put mixure aside remove filo from refrigerator and allow to thaw for 15 minutes.

NOTE: filo is thinner than paper and is very delicate. allowing it to thaw will minimise the possibility of cracking.

Roll Preparation:

remove filo from packaging and begin to unroll. once filo has been laid out flat, take a pizza cutter and cut the entire stack of filo in half widthwise and stack one half on top of the other (some pieces may have tairs, this is normal). soak a clean kitchen towl in cold watter ring out thurouly (almost dry). Place this towel over the filo to keep it from drying out. if the towel is left on the filo too long, it will melt the sheets of filo together. continually check to see if filo is not too wet.

melt one stick of butter into a small bowl then lay out two (2) sheets of filo lined up one on top of the other. using a basting brush, brush the surface of the top piece of filo with a thin layer of butter making sure the entire surface has been covered. you must work quickly while performing this step. place a pinky finger wide strip of cheese mix along the short edge of the filo and begin to wrap the cheese mix by rolling the filo around the strip of mix. cracks and tairs may be repaired while rolling by brushing a small amount of butter over the crack or tair. when the end of the filo is reached, brush a small amount of butter over the roll creating a seal to keep the filo wrapped. continue this process placing each roll finger width appart on an ungreesed baking tray for cooking (you will need more than one baking tray).

preheat over to 400 degrees for eight (8) minutes, bake for approximately 20-30 minutes until filo is golden browned. remove from oven and cut each roll into two (2) inch pieces. move pieces to serving plate and serve hot.




By Louie V. Lefty