Alevropita – Greek feta pie

This is the easiest Greek pie there is. A pie that doesn’t include a lot of ingredients and that’s super quick to make. A pie that should definitely become part of your cooking repertoire.

It’s thin, crispy, fluffy and soft all at the same time, full of cheesy flavor from the feta, buttery and so incredibly delicious that you really can’t stop eating it. I can’t, for sure.

It’s called alevropita which translates to “flour pie” and it is essentially a pie that’s made with a thin batter. There are as many recipes and names for this as there are cooks in Greece (zymaropita, kourkoutopita and kasopita are a few alternate names) and it is traditionally made in Epiros in the Northeastern part of Greece where all good pies are made (especially in Zagoria and Ioannina).

The original alevropita comes from Zagori which is located in the mountain range of Pindos in Epiros and if you ever find yourselves in that part of Greece, try all the pies. You won’t regret it.

Some versions of alevropita have a thicker batter, almost like a paste, others more like custard, some include different kinds of cheeses and some even include vegetables. Some people add yoghurt while others add a lot more eggs and omit the milk, some add baking powder or yeast, but those pies are plain wrong; no leavening agent is required in this pie, otherwise it’s a bread, not a pie.
This is the basic version of alevropita and I have to say, the more authentic one. Besides, simplicity is key when it comes to Greek food.

Alevropita should be thin, no more than one centimeter, it should be crispy when it comes out of the oven and it is to be eaten straight away as it doesn’t retain that crispiness when it cools down; it does retain, however, its deliciousness, so if you have leftovers, which I highly doubt you will, you’ll certainly enjoy them.

It’s a pie that you can have for breakfast, take it with you to the office or eat it on the go, it’s perfect for lunch and certainly a great mezes to have with drinks. Pairs perfectly with ouzo and tsipouro, among others.

It’s also the best recipe to have in your back pocket when you’re in a hurry or have unexpected visitors that you want to surprise with something delicious.
So wait not. Go forth and make the easiest large Greek pie there is!

Alevropita – Greek feta pie

For me, this pie should be made only with feta. Others will have you add different cheeses but the texture and flavor, as well as the final result, will never be as good or “proper” as it will be when you use the real deal; Greek feta.

The secret to a good alevropita is the ultra hot oiled and buttered pan that heats in the oven before pouring the batter inside. It’s what makes the pie crispy.

Generally speaking, Greek pies are best baked in special pans (called "sini") made of aluminum, that are very thin and conduct heat well, creating crispy pies. That doesn’t mean of course that you can’t use another kind of baking pan.
You will need a super large pan for this pie, 36 cm in diameter, which for Greeks is a normal size. ;)

Yield: 8 large pieces

Ingredients
260 g all-purpose flour
500 ml fresh whole milk
50 ml water
1 large egg
Pinch of salt
275 g feta (Greek of course!)
½ Tbsp (10-15 g) unsalted butter for greasing the pan, plus extra for topping the pie
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil for greasing the pan, plus ½ Tbsp for drizzling over the pie

Special equipment: round pan 36 cm


Preparation
Preheat your oven to 200°C.

Butter the bottom and sides of the pan with ½ Tbsp butter (or enough butter to coat well the sides and bottom of the pan) and drizzle with a little olive oil (1 tsp).

In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, milk, water, egg and salt and beat with a wire whisk until you have a smooth batter. It will be runny.

Place the buttered and oiled pan in the preheated oven and leave for about 3 minutes until it becomes very hot and the butter and oil sizzles. Make sure to keep an eye on it because it may burn. Remove the pan from the oven and straight away pour in the batter. Immediately crumble the feta on top and dot the top with butter (refer to photo below – I add about 15 very small pieces of butter) and finally drizzle with ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

Place on the lower rack of the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes, rotating the pan midway through baking time, until it has a nice crust around the edges and has taken on a golden color all over.

Cut into large pieces and eat immediately. It’s best when it’s hot/warm from the oven and still crispy.

If you have leftovers, it is certainly delicious cold (even though not crispy anymore). If you want to reheat it, don’t do it in the microwave as it will become even softer. Reheat it in the oven, and it will become a bit crispy.