Could this BE any flakier?

Buttery, Cheesy, Flaky, Crispy.....ohhhhhhh....THUD!

This week the 8th graders are doing Greek Cuisine. I'd like to introduce you to the Tiropetes. In English that is a Cheese Triangle. All I can say is OMG! Little effort really, HUGE flavor.
Let my class show you step by step how to make them.....




Have your cheese filling ready and some melted butter.

Peel off two strips and use a pastry brush to coat with butter...






Put about a teaspoon of filling on the end of strip










Start folding your buttered strip like a paper football (if you can't do this....get your child to come in and show you! My students are rock stars at this!!!)





This student is folding theirs on their cookie sheet covered in foil.










After your triangle is done being folded, place on cookie sheet and coat with butter. (hey, I didn't say these were low calorie!)

Bake @ 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

All done!

Tiropetes (Cheese Triangles)

1/2 pound phyllo pastry dough (this is your typical box sold in the freezer section near the pie crusts)
1 cup (5 oz) crumbles feta cheese
1 c. (4 oz) ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
dash white pepper
1/2 c. butter melted

Defrost phyllo according to directions on package. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine feta and ricotta cheeses. (I used a food processor) Add eggs, white pepper parsley (I added this last by hand, I didn't want a GREEN cheese mixture).

Spread the phyllo on a board and cut into strips about 3 inches wide. The length of the strip may be 10 to 15 inches, depending on the dimension of the sheet of phyllo. Work with 2 strips of phyllo. (Immediately cover the remaining strips with clear plastic wrap to prevent drying.)

Using 2 strips, place one over the other. Brush the top strip lightly with butter. Place a rounded teaspoon of filling at one ed of the strip; fold over to make a triangle. (Continue folding to make a triangle, that is as you would fold a flag or a paper football.

When the folding is complete, brush the triangle with butter and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until puffed and golden in color. Makes 30.

*If you add 1 c. of spinach to this cheese mixture in the recipe now you have changed the food to a Spinach Triangle or "Spanikopita". Yum!

Cheese Pinwheel!

Teacher's Notes:

• If you are making these into appetizers, use only one roll from the package and keep the other in the freezer for spanikopita later. Thaw dough in the fridge over night. Keep the roll out for about an hour but you unwrap it and unroll it. Before you open it have a damp dish towel ready to cover. Unroll dough, press out wrinkles and use pizza cutter to cut into thirds lengthwise. These 3 stacks should give you about 30 (that is if you don't have any strips that dry out, break or disintegrate. Please keep in mind...this dough is CRAZY reactive to the air....it dries out FAST!
• Make the cheese mixture the day before. I find that it firms up better when it sits overnight.
• Taste your feta and ricotta before you add the eggs....you will find that you won't need to add any salt, the feta is salty enough.
• Although the kids haven't eaten this before (not on their main menu like burgers and pizza) some have eaten spanikopita BUT once they try this....the love it...the folding of the strips they totally get for they've made a million paper footballs. You can certainly cut a regular piece of paper into thirds lengthwise and practice first!

OH the buttery, crunchy, cheesy goodness....

K-man told me when we first were dating....that he hated feta...I brought home some of these leftovers and he was intrigued by the smell and wanted to try one...I didn't say anything....he gobbled as many as he could. I waited until 4 months later when the next class made these again, to tell him..."honey, I have a confession...these have feta"....he was stunned but when you think about it, the ricotta really mellows out the saltiness of the feta. Now he loves when I make these, BTW.....he also loves spanikopita too. LOL.

Your upcoming Food Holidays....

March 30, 2009 Turkey Neck Soup Day
March 31, 2009 National Clams on the Half Shell, Oranges and Lemons and Tater Day
April 1, 2009 National Sourdough Bread Day
April 2, 2009 National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
April 3, 2009 National Chocolate Mousse Day
April 4, 2009 National Cordon Bleu Day
April 5, 2009 National Caramel and Raisin & Spice Bar Day