Chef Dimitra
Agrafa Batzina (Μπατζίνα), Courgette and Feta Pie
Agrafa's batzina is the no-phyllo pie of Karditsa: grated courgette, feta, eggs, milk, and flour poured thin into a hot oiled tapsi.
Culinary Explorer
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Alevropita Zagoriou (Αλευρόπιτα Ζαγορίου)
Created by
Zagori's flour pie skips phyllo completely: a loose egg-and-flour batter, crumbled feta, and a hot buttered tapsi that makes the edges crisp.
Pastries & Cookies
Greek
Weeknight
Quick Meal
Budget Friendly
10 min
Active Time
35 min cook•45 min total
Yield6 servings
Alevropita Zagoriou is the flour pie of Zagori in Epirus, a pita without phyllo, rolled dough, or ceremony. Flour, eggs, milk, feta, a hot tapsi. That is all. The region is the dish's surname, and this one belongs to the stone villages where a quick pie had to feed people before the day ran away.
Alevropita belongs to the no-phyllo pie family of Epirus, where mountain households made quick pites from flour, dairy, and whatever cheese was at hand. In Zagori it is also called kasopita in some villages, a name tied to kasi, the local word used for cheese. Its plainness is the point: it records a pastoral kitchen built on sheep's milk, flour, and a wood-fired pan before shop-bought phyllo became common.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
all-purpose flour
Quantity
220g
large eggs
Quantity
3
whole milk
Quantity
300ml
water
Quantity
120ml
fine sea salt
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Greek feta
Quantity
250g
crumbled
unsalted butter
Quantity
60g
melted
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
2 tablespoons
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| all-purpose flour | 220g |
| large eggs | 3 |
| whole milk | 300ml |
| water | 120ml |
| fine sea salt | 1 teaspoon |
| Greek fetacrumbled | 250g |
| unsalted buttermelted | 60g |
| extra virgin olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
Equipment Needed
- •round metal tapsi, 34cm
- •large balloon whisk
Instructions
- 1
Heat the tapsi
Set the oven to 220C. Put a 34cm round metal tapsi, or a shallow metal baking pan of similar size, in the oven for 10 minutes. Alevropita wants a hot pan before the batter goes in, because the first contact is what gives the underside its crisp bite.
- 2
Mix the batter
Whisk the eggs, milk, water, and salt in a bowl until smooth. Add the flour and whisk just until you have a loose, pourable batter, thinner than pancake batter. If it sits heavy on the whisk, add another tablespoon or two of water. This is the method that decides the pie: thin batter spreads shallow, so the edge fries in the butter instead of baking up thick and doughy.
- 3
Butter the pan
Take the hot tapsi from the oven carefully. Pour in the melted butter and olive oil, tilting the pan so the fat runs across the bottom and up the sides. It should shine in a thin layer.
- 4
Fill and scatter
Pour the batter into the hot, buttered pan. Scatter the crumbled feta evenly over the surface, letting some pieces sink and some stay proud on top. Don't make it tidy. This is a mountain pie, not a pastry shop square.
- 5
Bake until crisp
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the alevropita is deep gold at the rim, spotted brown over the feta, and pulling slightly from the sides of the pan. Let it stand 5 minutes before cutting into wedges or rough squares. Eat it warm, while the edge still crackles under the knife.
Chef Tips
- •Use real Greek feta, not a dry salad cheese that crumbles like chalk. Sheep's milk feta gives the right salt and softness. Liga kai kala: a few things, and good ones.
- •The batter must be loose enough to pour in one sweep. Thick batter makes a cakey pie, and Zagori did not ask us for cake.
- •Alevropita is best warm, soon after baking. Leftovers reheat well in a hot oven or dry skillet, never in a microwave unless you have made peace with a soft edge.
Advance Preparation
- •Crumble the feta and measure the dry ingredients up to a day ahead.
- •Do not mix the batter hours ahead. It takes 3 minutes, and fresh batter gives the better texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 170g)
Calories
420 calories
Total Fat
26 g
Saturated Fat
14 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
12 g
Cholesterol
160 mg
Sodium
910 mg
Total Carbohydrates
32 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
4 g
Protein
15 g
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