The Pita Challenge

Go to any Greek restaurant or festival and you’re likely to see at least one type of pita on the menu. I’m not talking pita bread for your gyro or souvlaki sandwich here. When Greeks say “pita” or “pites” they are usually referring to a “pie” made of a vegetable, cheese, or meat filling and phyllo dough. Pites come in a variety of configurations, and are always delicious. My personal favorites are my mother’s tiropites (cheese pie), triangular packets of cheesy deliciousness wrapped in buttery, flaky phyllo.

There’s no doubt that my mom’s pites would be the focus of at least a couple of posts here on Phyllo Files. For as long as I can remember spanakopita (spinach pie) and tiropita have been staples in the Frangakis home, as they are in many other Greek homes. At my parents’ house, they are on rotation for breakfast, lunch or dinner, several times a week, and for every holiday. So I assumed they were recipes my mom brought with her from Greece.

“You didn’t make spanakopita in the village?” I asked, dumbfounded when my mom revealed this the other day.

“No, we didn’t have spinach in the village, I learned those here.”

But as my mom reminded me the other day, there are villages and cities, especially in the Peloponnese region of mainland Greece, where “they make ALL kinds of pites, from ANY vegetable.” This brought back vague memories of a pumpkin pie. No, not the one you’re thinking of that shows up in America around this time of year. I’m talking about kolokithopita. There’s also prasopita (leek pie) and kreatopita (meat pie) that I’ve heard of, but never had, or really ever noticed on menus at Greek restaurants.

So, I’m going on a pita challenge for the next 30 days. Starting with nailing down my mom’s recipes for spanakopita and tiropita. Then I’ll also be on a mission to find and make recipes for one or two other varieties at home. And scoping out Greek restaurants in the area to see what, if any other varieties they have to offer.