Alevropita (Αλευρόπιτα)
Alevropita is a quick, thin-battered feta pie
Sometimes we are so lazy! Like, stay in bed all day reading and eating bon-bons lazy. Or, too tired to cook so have cereal for dinner lazy. Or no one’s around to judge so I’m going to take the elevator one flight up lazy. It happens, and we don’t have the energy to pretend that it doesn’t.
Laziness however can also result in really lovely things, like alevropita. This is the cheese pie you want to make when you’re too lazy to make your own phyllo, when you’re too lazy to fold kalitsounia, and when you’re too lazy to spend much time in the kitchen.
Alevropita is a pie made with a flour-based batter which originates from north-western Greece, specifically Epirus. Epirotic cuisine is known for its pites, and amongst the many varieties available, this may be the simplest. The literal translation of alevropita is flour pie (alevri is Greek for flour) . To prepare alevropita, a thin batter is prepared in about 5 minutes – less if you move really quickly, and crumbled feta sprinkled on top before baking. The end result is a thin and crispy bread-like pita that is truly delicious.
Using just basic ingredients, alevropita is the perfect last minute meze to make when company arrives or when your family is craving a between meal snack. It is so satisfying that we actually serve alevropita for lunch or dinner. Paired with a salad like a simple maroulosalata or a Greek horiatiki (villages) salad it is a satisfying light meal. It also makes a lovely breakfast. Truth be told, it is the perfect recipe to make anytime you are hungry, and lazy.
Helpful hints
What is the best pan to use to bake alevropita?
We have made this recipe using a variety of pans including aluminum round pans that are 15 inches in diameter and a jelly roll pan that was 12 x 17 inches. We found that the bottom got crispiest with the jelly roll pan. Click here, to see one we like.
Can I make alevropita ahead of time?
It can, but it really is best when it is just made. Alevropita is meant to be enjoyed while crispy. If you make it in advance the pita will soften – it will still be very good, but different.
If you want to reheat alevropita that you made in advance we suggest heating it on a non-stick skillet or frying pan. Add a very small layer of oil to your pan and heat the alevropita through, being careful not to burn the bottom. Alternatively you can heat it in the oven. Don’t use the microwave however as this will soften your alevropita even further.
Can I make alevropita with a different cheese?
Traditionally alevropita is made with an unleavened batter than contains flour, milk and eggs and it is topped with feta and drizzled with olive oil.
You could of course experiment and use a cheese other than feta. There are also versions which put vegetables on top of the batter and which introduce herbs into batter as well.
Pin this recipe if you like it!
Looking for other delicious recipes with feta? Check these out:
Sesame coated fried feta with honey and walnuts
Baked feta wrapped in filo dough
We love hearing from you! If you have made our recipes, or if you have a question or comment, or simply want to say Hi!, please leave a comment below!
Equipment
- 15 inch round aluminum pan, or a jelly roll pan ( 12 X 17 inches)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (300 grams) all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) milk
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) water
- 1 cup (275 grams) feta cheese crumbled
- 5 tbsp olive oil divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium size bowl combine the flour, salt, eggs, milk and water. Whisk until your batter has a smooth consistency.
- Place an empty 15 inch (38 cm) pan in your preheated oven for 4-5 minutes. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven, spray it with cooking spray and then add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Use a brush to spead the olive oil all over the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread the batter so that it covers the entire surface of the pan. You can use a rubber spatula to help you spread the batter evenly. Top your batter with the crumbled feta, and drizzle the top with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Bake your alevropita on the lower rack of your oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until it is golden brown and the edges have left the sides of the pan. We recommend rotating your pan halfway through the cooking time.
- Remove your alevropita from the oven and allow it to cool for approximately 5 minutes before slicing.
- Your alevropita is best served when still warm and crisp. To serve, transfer it onto a cutting board and use a pizza wheel or a serrated knife to cut into slices.
- Enjoy!
I am dying to try this! Thank you for the recipe. Two questions though..I bake bread on my aluminum cookie sheets and line the pans with parchment paper. I always get an amazing crust on the bottom. Do you think I could pour the batter onto a lined pan as well? I’m dreading the clean up if it sticks. Second question, could this work well with olives too? Would they stick you think? Thanks for your!
Hi Nicki! So sorry for the delay in getting back to you! We’ve never made this using parchment paper – but we like your reasoning! You could definitely give it a try. if it works for your bread, it may work with the alevropita. For the olives, we suggest that you add them to the top the way you will the feta. That should work out just fine! Hope you enjoy – and keep us posted! xoxo Helen & Billie
It looks so delicious! I guess is perfect with feta cheese 😋
It is amazing! Hope you try it one day 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie
Hmmm, it looks delish – like a flat crispy focaccia. I’ll have try this if I can make it GF 🙂
Hi Mare! We’ve had people tell us that they tried our recipe with gluten-free flour and it worked out great! So, we hope you try it, and love it! xoxo Helen & Billie
We made it using almond flour. Great GF addition!
Amazing!! Go glad to hear that it worked out for you 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie
Thank you!
Can also use corn meal for a different consistency
Hi Delores! We’ve never tried this recipe with corn meal so we can’t know for sure. We would suggest substituting no more than 1/2 the flour with cornmeal if you wanted to give that a try. Thanks for your question! (if you do try it, let us know how it works out 🙂 ) xoxo Helen & Billie
This was the centrepiece of a lovely, light lunch today. It ticks all the boxes: quick; easy; staple ingredients; and most of all, delicious. In short, this is far from the last time I’ll make alevropita.
I used a heavy steel half-sheet (12 x 17 inches) lined with crumpled parchment paper. It worked great — no clean up!
It’s rare to see recipes from Epirus, so that was an added treat.
Hi Charles! So happy that you tried the recipe and loved it. Thanks for the tip about the parchment paper – question….did you still add the oil to the bottom of the pan? Presumably on top of the parchment paper? Stay tuned, we plan on featuring more from the beautiful region of Epirus – a wealth of culinary inspiration!! xoxo Helen & Billie
Hi, ladies. Absolutely, I added the oil on top of the parchment paper.
I’ve made recipes for other things (e.g., patates lemonates) that say to grease the pan first, then add the parchment paper, then the spuds, oil, etc. I don’t understand why one would have to, but I did it anyway, because the recipe was from a famous chef. It worked beautifully, just with a little more washing up to do.
Amazing!! Thanks Charles!
I would love to try your recipes!
We hope you do Thelma! We think you’ll enjoy them 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie
Made this tonight and the baked feta was a walk down memory lane. Thank you, this recipe is a keeper.
So very happy to hear that! We love when our recipes elicit fond food memories. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! xoxo Helen & Billie
Shoot out from a fellow Montrealer! Since I discovered your wonderful site, I am going to bed waaay passed my bedtime. I served this wonderful recipe tonight to my boys and spouse, and all were raving about it. Excellent! XXX
Bonjour Nathalie!!! We are so happy that you found us 🙂 Thank you so much for your support, and hope that you continue to find much to love here with us! xoxo Helen & Billie