Tiropetes and Variations

Yield: 100 canapes. Prepare bechamel sauce and allow it to cool, add feta cheese, eggs, grated cheese, parsley and 3 tbsp melted butter to sauce and mix well. Cut filo sheets into long strips 3 inches wide and brush with melted butter. Place one tsp of the cheese mixture at the bottom of each strip and fold the corner up to form a triangle, continue folding in a triangular shape until the entire strip is folded. Continue this method until all the ingredients are used. Place triangles on cookie sheets, brush each with butter and bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve at once. These triangles may be prepared ahead of time, frozen and baked when ready to serve. Variations: Meat - Kreatopetes Either use cooked leftover meats, chopped, or saute fresh ground beef, breaking it up with a fork into small pieces. Combine meat with cheese and egg in a bowl. Place a teaspoonful on filo strips, fold, brush with butter and bake in the same manner as cheese triangles. Fish - Psaropetes Mix together seafood, bechamel sauce, parsley and lemon juice. Place a teaspoonful on filo strips, fold, brush with butter, and bake in the same manner as cheese triangles. Spinach - Spanakopetas Wash the spinach, cut off the stems, dry completely with towels, and chop. Brown the scallions in 1/2 cup olive oil until tender. Combine spinach, parsley, dill, beaten eggs and cheese, add cooked scallions, season with salt lightly and mix well. Place a teaspoonful of the filling on the filo leaves and proceed to fold, brush with butter and bake in the same manner as cheese triangles. Bechamel: Melt butter in a pan, add flour, and stir until smooth. Lower heat, and gradually add the hot milk, stirring constantly until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper.