Aki's Kitchen - Recipes


Tyropetakia - Greek Cheese Puffs ... continued				Appetizers 1 2
		Folding the Cheese Puffs: Line baking sheets with parchment paper and then brush papers with the clarified butter; set them aside. Place an oven rack in the upper level and second rack on the middle level; don't preheat oven, yet. Lay the stack of filo dough between 2 towels to prevent the filo from drying; otherwise, you won't be able to use them, because the filo will dry out and crumble. Lay out 2 filo sheets lengthwise across from you, on a large work surface, one sheet on top of the other. Drizzle some butter over the top sheet and then brush to coat evenly, going all the way to the edges; don't worry about smearing butter onto your work surface (picture 1). Cut 5 - 6 vertical strips, about 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 inches wide, using a pizza cutter (picture 2); don't cut narrower strips, since folding will be difficult and cumbersome. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese mixture onto the end of each strip, nearest you, leaving a 1/2 inch border of filo. For each strip: bring the left corner of the filo over the cheese (picture 3), making a 60' fold with a sharp tipped point; tip should be pointing to the left. Bring the right corner over the cheese to create an equilateral triangle, leaving about a 3/16 of an inch border running lengthwise along the left edge of the strip. Continue bringing the triangle over and leaving a 3/16 of an inch border along the left and right edges, as you fold over the triangle going towards its end (pictures 4 - 10). Make sure that the tips of the triangle are tight, sharp, pointy and closed, so that the cheese filling doesn't ooze out during baking.

1. Brushing clarified butter on filo dough; 2 sheets at a time.

2. Sheets cut into 6 strips: progressive layout of folding.		5. Continuing the folding, always leaving a 3/16 of an inch border along the sides.	8. The top 3/16 inch border has been folded over to create the matching end.

3. First 60' angle fold to create the shape of the triangle.		6. Almost near the end of the strip.	9. The other side of the end of the strip has also been folded over creating the matching end.

4. Folding the triangle over again, leaving a 3/16 of an inch border.		7. The end of the strip needs to be folded over to create a matching end.	10. Triangle has been completed folded and is resting on the last flap of filo.
	Press the top of the triangle down to push the filling towards the centre and then transfer the triangle onto the prepared baking sheet. Place the triangles 1/4 - 1/2 an inch apart from each other and then liberally brush the triangle with more butter (picture 11). Repeat folding the remaining strips in the same manner. Prepare enough triangles to fill 2 baking sheets appropriately and then preheat oven to 400'F. NOTE: These take time to fold. It's best to prepare at least 2 baking sheets of prepared triangles, before you preheat your oven; otherwise, you'll be wasting you oven's energy for nothing. Bake 2 sheets at a time, in a preheated oven, for 15 - 20 minutes, or until puffs are golden and puffed, rotating and shifting the pans halfway through baking. Transfer and lay the hot cheese puffs, in a single layer, onto a paper towel lined pan to absorb excess butter. Don't stack the hot triangles, because they'll lose their crisp and turn soggy. Arrange, or stack, room temperature puffs on a serving tray or platter. Leftover puffs can be frozen in a tightly sealed plastic container; layer puffs between sheets of wax or parchment paper. To reheat frozen puffs: place frozen puffs on a wax or parchment paper lined baking sheet and then bake in a preheated 350'F. oven, for 7 - 12 minutes, or until centres are hot. The filo dough will be flakier and will thus easily crack than when first made.

11. Triangle has been completed folded and is resting on the last flap of filo.
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*Looking Back at Everything You've Made!* These appetizers aren't tricky to make. Try not to take too much time when folding them up; and remember to cover the stack of filo dough with the second towel; otherwise the filo will dry out and you won't be able to use it. Grab a chair - instead of standing, because these take time to prepare - but they're worth it.