Tiganopsomo: Cheese Pies in the Skillet

Simple and delicious cheese pies fried in the skillet!

Watch the Video:

My Tiganopsomo pies are delicious little pitas made into cheesy pies in the skillet. They are commonly made in Turkey and Greece, require just a few ingredients, and are so simple to make. The Greek word Tiganopsomo literally translates into ‘fried bread’ and you can fill it with whatever you’d like. I stuff mine with cheese because they can be served for sweet or savory, and I use my homemade phyllo recipe for the pita. I tested yeast dough, but my phyllo recipe is lighter and easier to pan-fry. So, I recommend making them this way.

Why you’ll make these often

• Creamy cream cheese
• Tangy feta
• Buttery crispy phyllo bread pocket
• Simple, deliciously creamy cheese pies fried in a skillet!

Just a few ingredients

For the Dough:

• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Warm water
• White vinegar
• Olive oil -try the new olive oil in our shop straight from Greece!

For the Filling:

• Unsalted butter (for the filling and the pan)
• Cream cheese at room temperature –sub any soft cheese like ricotta
• Feta cheese
• Optional: shredded mozzarella cheese or cheddar for stringy cheesiness
• Finely chopped fresh mint –for savory options, use oregano, rosemary, or thyme

Optional fillings

You can stuff these pies with just about anything sweet or savory. To add a few things to this recipe that lean toward the savory side, try black pepper, crushed red pepper, or chopped roasted red peppers. Get creative with what you like. If you want to stuff your tiganopsomo with something else, try my spinach pie filling, a meat filling, or any sweet filling. If you want me to post more tiganopsomo recipes with different fillings, just let me know in the comments!

How to make Tiganopsomo cheese pies in a skillet

Make the Phyllo Pastry:

• Combine all of the phyllo ingredients in the bowl of a tabletop mixer that has been fitted with the dough hook attachment.
• Knead until the dough comes together and is smooth and elastic—about 5 minutes on medium speed. If the dough is dry, add 2-3 tablespoons of water and knead until it comes together.
• Divide the dough into ten portions and roll each piece into a ball.
• Lightly flour a bowl and place the balls inside.
• Then, lightly flour the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Allow it to rest at room temperature for about an hour or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Make the Filling:

• Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and crumble the feta cheese on top.
• Mix in the mint until combined and set aside.

Assemble the Pies:

• Roll each portion of dough out to about 10 inches in diameter and as thin as possible.
• Divide the filling equally between the pitas by putting the filling in the center of each dough round.
• Place a thin slice of butter on top of the filling.
• Then, brush the edges of the dough with water and fold it over the filling to create a rectangular package.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 2-3 tablespoons of butter.
• Once the butter melts, add 2-3 pies to the pan and fry them for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.
• Serve warm!

Freezer Instructions

If you want to always have these pies on hand, they freeze well and will be ready in no time. Just assemble the pies by filling and folding the dough, and then put them in an airtight bag or container. They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 months. Thaw the pies overnight in the refrigerator when you’re ready to eat them.

Serving

Tiganopsomo cheese pies are best served warm, but you can make them ahead of time. Just put your leftovers in a toaster oven or air fryer to warm and crisp them back up. If there aren’t any savory ingredients in the filling, I like to drizzle lots of Greek honey from my uncles’ Creté beehives all over the top of my pie. It’s sweet, creamy, crispy, and delicious! Kali Orexi!

More Greek Pies:

• Spanakopita (Spinach Pie with Homemade Phyllo
• Eliopitakia: Greek Mini Olive Pies
• Butternut Squash & Feta Phyllo Pie
• Tiropita: Greek Feta & Phyllo Pie