Delicious Little Cheese Pies! (Pitarakia Milou)

Cheese Pies from Milos (Pitarakia Milou)

Imagine delicious packets of golden pastry, like mini-sized soft calzone, wrapped around a melting savory cheese filling.. A delicious traditional Greek appetizer from the island of Milos! If you like the traditional Greek cheese pie or cheese pie triangles, then you will certainly love these unique little pies. Enjoy!

More delicious Greek Pies!

If you love a traditional Greek pie, the below recipes are made for you! 

  1. Greek Meat Pie (Kreatopita)
  2. Greek Chicken Pie Recipe (Kotopita)
  3. Traditional Greek Leek Pie Recipe (Prasopita)
  4. Spanakopita Recipe With Homemade Phyllo (Authentic Greek Spinach Pie)
  5. Mini Spanakopita Triangles Recipe (Spanakopitakia / Greek Spinach Triangles)
  6. Greek Feta Cheese Pies Recipe (Tiropitakia)
  7. Spiral-Shaped Greek Cheese Pie Recipe (Kichi Kozanis)
  8. Traditional Zucchini Pie Recipe With Feta Cheese (Greek Kolokithopita)
  9. Traditional Tiropita Recipe (Greek Cheese Pie With Feta)
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Cheese Pies from Milos (Pitarakia Milou)

Delicious Little Cheese Pies! (Pitarakia Milou)

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  • Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
  • Prep Time: 25 min
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 10 cheese pies 1x
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Fried
  • Cuisine: Greek
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Imagine delicious packets of golden pastry wrapped around a melty cheese filling. These traditional little cheese pies (pitarakia) from the island of Milos will amaze you! Discover how to make them to perfection with this traditional Greek recipe.


Ingredients

Scale

For the dough

  • 250g all-purpose flour (9 ounces)
  • 120ml lukewarm water (1/2 cup)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (or 1 tbsp lemon juice)
  • 1/2 tsp salt

For the filling

  • 1/2 red onion, grated
  • 80g pecorino sardo, grated (3 ounces)
  • 60g emmental or regato cheese, grated (2 ounces)
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tsp fresh mint, chopped (optional)
  • oil for frying


Instructions

  1. To prepare these delicious Greek cheese pies, start by making the dough. Add the flour into a large bowl; using your hands make a dimple in the middle and pour in the olive oil, the vinegar and salt.
  2. Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients by hand, whilst adding gradually the lukewarm water, until the dough is soft and smooth. If the dough is too sticky add a little bit more flour. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
  3. In the meantime, prepare the filling; grate the cheese and blend with the mint.
  4. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough (approx. 0.2cm thick), on a floured surface, and cut some circles (about 12 cm diameter), as seen in the picture. Place a full spoon of the filling on each circle and fold the dough, creating a half-moon. Join the edges well, using a fork.
  5. Fry the cheese pies in hot oil, at medium-high heat; when one side becomes golden, turn them on the other side. Remove the pies with a slotted spoon and place on some kitchen paper to absorb the extra oil. Enjoy while still warm!
  6. Traditionally, these Greek cheese pies (pitarakia), are made with “Milos cheese”, which is a kind of yellow, dry and salty cheese produced in Milos. As it is highly unlikely to find it anywhere else, the best alternative is to use a mixture of pecorino and emmental or regato cheese. If you, like me, love feta chesse, then a really delicious variation is to use for the filling feta cheese and a nice hard yellow cheese

Keywords: cheese pies, fried cheese pie recipe, pitarakia, how to make cheese pies

Recipe image gallery:


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6 Comments

  1. José Benoit

    I would like to know if you can freese the little pies, so I can make some ahead, for a party or gathering.
    And I would also like to know wy I do not recieve your newsletter anymore, I recieved it once, and no more. Gretings José.

    • Eli K. Giannopoulos

      Hi Jose, you can definitely freeze them! They are perfect for a little party where you can make them in advance and bake on the spot.

      Regarding the newsletter, we send out one every couple of weeks. I see that you are indeed subscribed, I am not sure whether the emails end up in your spam folder? Please check and let me know so we can address from our side.

      Eli

  2. Could you bake these little pies instead of frying them?

  3. What happened to the red onion and pepper? Do you add them in with cheese and mint?

    • I think you might need to sauté then cool the onion, then mix the pepper and onion into your cheese herb mixture.
      Think the step has just been missed.

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