Portokalopita is an Greek compound word translated into “orange pie”. The first time I ever saw this dish was about a decade ago at my friend Maria’s blog, “Kali Orexi”. I had never before heard of this dessert, I have never ever eaten a Portokalopita.
It’s been over a decade since my original post and since then, Portokalopita has gone viral, practically every Greek food blogger has shared their version, Greek TV chefs offer their own version, others copying other versions, other’s borrowing a little from this recipe, a little from that recipe. Practically every patisserie in Greece has a Portokalopita on offer.
From the baker’s perspective, it’s a great way to use up leftover or dried out phyllo (after all the base of this pie is shredded phyllo). If you ask Greek bakers, no one is really sure where Portokalopita came from but it’s here and it’s staying!
Lovers of the Greek dessert Galaktoboureko will love a Portokalopita. Those looking for another phyllo recipe will like this, especially if you’re a little timid with phyllo, Portokalopita is the dessert for you to try. The ingredients are basic, skills needed are little and the end result will WOW yourself, family or dinner guests.
The base of the pie is torn phyllo. You’re a frustrated baker? This dessert is for you. Fear of phyllo? Not anymore!
The next next step is the custard base: vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, orange zest, some orange marmalade, vanilla extract, sugar, eggs and….those torn phyllo sheets! What else? Nothing but the syrup! Pour the mixture and bake. .this Portokalopita celebrates Greece’s oranges.
Like all the other Greek desserts that involve syrup and phyllo – one element has to be hot and the other cold. Having said that, you can make the syrup before anything else and allow it to cool. The other option is to make the Portokalopita and then make the syrup. The pie will have been baked and it should be cooled by the time your syrup is ready. Hot syrup over cold pie. Understood?
The only thing I have left to do is describe how this tasted and it’s texture. The Portokalopita is firm yet moist and soft enough to only use a fork or a spoon…no knife required.
Cut a piece with your fork and slide it in your mouth. The first thing you’ll taste and feel is the sweet, slightly caramelized phyllo with the hint of cinnamon. Then there’s the creamy filling, with random pieces of phyllo switching-up the texture. Finally, the syrup and slight crunch of the top.
Portokalopita
1/2 stick of melted unsalted butter
1 oven safe baking vessel (8 X 12X 2)
Syrup
zest and juice of 1 orange
3 cups of sugar
3 cups of water
1 small cinnamon stick
For the Base
1 450gr. pkge. of phyllo (thawed overnight in the fridge)
5 large eggs
1 cup sugar
zest of one orange
1 cup orange juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup orange marmalade
pinch of salt
4 tsp. of baking powder
1 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of Greek yogurt
Pre-heated 350F
- Take your phyllo out of the fridge and separate the sheets and place in a large bowl – open, uncovered 15-20 minutes to help them dry out.
- For the syrup, add your sugar, water, orange juice, zest and over medium heat, bring up to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook for 14 minutes. Allow to cool and measure out/separate 3/4 cup so you can pour over ice cream and portokalopita (the rest will be poured on the pie).
- Grease the inside of your pan with melted butter. Using a brush, grease your baking vessel with the melted butter.
- In the meantime, add the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until incorporated. Now add your orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon and marmalade and whisk again. Now add the salt, baking powder, yogurt, vegetable oil and whisk until incorporate.
- Using your hands, tear the sheets of phyllo into strips and add into the bowl. Mix well with a spatula and pour into your greased baking vessel.
- Place in your pre-heated oven (middle rack) for 45-50 minutes or until golden on top.
- Take out of the oven and ladle room temp. syrup over the hot Portokalopita one ladle at a time. Allow the pie to fully cool, place in the fridge for minimum 4 hours or overnight.
- To serve, cut a piece, plate, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and pour some reserved orange syrup on top.
NOTE: For a variation: try this recipe with lemons in place of oranges.
47 Responses
I just finished a healthy dinner and I really want a piece of this!
I am speechless Peter.
After seeing Maria’s recipe, I noticed that there is a version of this in “Vefa’s Kitchen”. Never heard of it before that, either, but sounds fool-proof enough that I could handle it ;) Plus, you know, orange-flavoured anything is good. A blood-orange version of this would be cool…
Sounds delicious! I will also look for it in my copy of Vefa’s Kitchen. Thank you for the wonderful post. Your photos make me very hungry.
That looks fantastic! What a scrumptious dessert! I love the base…
Cheers,
Rosa
Peter αυτή ακÏιβώς τη συνταγή Îψαχνα!!
ΚαλημÎÏα!!!
ΠήτεÏ, απλά Ï… Ï€ Î Ï Î¿ χ η !!!! φανταζομαι το αÏωμά της και την γεÏση της και μου Ï„ÏÎχουν τα σάλια !!!!
φιλια πολλά και καλό μήνα !!!
This is stunning Peter! A fantastic job you’ve done (as always)
:)
Και εγώ δεν είχα ξαναφτιάξει ποτΠκαι μόλις την Îφτιαξα ξετÏελάθηκα! Λίγο μου χάλασε το φÏλλο από πάνω γιατί δεν πεÏίμενα να κÏυώσει το σιÏόπι! Αχ, τι μου τη θÏμισες!
Peter, I’ve never seen a dessert like this — so beautiful — and it’s definitely something for a phyllo-phobe like me! Yes, I’m bookmarking.
That sounds (and looks) extraordinarily good… Never come across it before, and wishing I had! Still, now I have the recipe… Thanks for sharing it, Peter!
Definitely bookmarked this! My kind of phyllo recipe!
Wow, we’re huge galaktobureko lovers in my fam! While I’m not huge on orange in dessert, my dad loves it! I will def try this for him
so…what’s the greek word for moist? because that’s what your cake is screaming at me. i’m sure it’s like taking a bite of the sun, just bursting with refreshment. lovely.
διαφοÏετικός ο Ï„Ïόπος παÏασκευής του συγκεκÏιμÎνου Î³Î»Ï…ÎºÎ¿Ï Î±Ï€ÏŒ τους Ï„Ïόπους που Ï€Ïοσωπικά γνωÏίζω και δεν Îχει και Ï€Î¿Î»Ï Î¶Î¬Ï‡Î±Ïη… είναι ότι Ï€ÏÎπει…
This is mind-boggling! It looks like just an orange cake, well, like a luscious, splendidly orange cake – but the way it works with the phyllo and syrup and all is wonderful! I love it!
This is so new to me. How i wish i had that slice . Just by reading the ingridients i am drooling and it is so so full of flavour. I am sure bookmarking this one.
I’ve been so intrigued by this since you mentioned it on Twitter. It sounds so yummy & a bit of brightness for winter
Oh my god.
Yes please!!
Εχω δοκιμάσει ποÏτοκαλόπιτα, είναι Ï„Îλεια!!
Thanks για την συνταγή Peter:))
I love the photo of the ruffled base. Are you telling me that I actually get to shred phyllo? Let me tell you – that would be so cathartic after many frustrating phyllo experiences.
Nicely done! With my stress level lately maybe shredding some ingredients will be safer than beating the crap out of chicken breasts with a skillet.
I can’t believe how moist this gorgeous dessert looks. I would happily help you finish this off….
I’m trying to imagine the phyllo under and also inside the cake. Looks like a really special treat and moist too. It’s not likely that I’d make it since I don’t do desserts but I sure hope I get an opportunity to taste it one day. :)
Oh my – this looks amazing! I love the idea of shredding phyllo sheets!
First I thought, hey, that’s how Phoebe (my Egyptian friend) does her baklava! She crumples the phyllo like an old piece of kleenex! hmm, no it is more complex than that I see! It sounds really decadent. Forget dinner, I’ll have that instead!
This would be very therapeutic to make, given the love/hate relationship between filo and I, and the fact that it insists on shredding itself even if I don’t want it to. It looks delicious too.
This orange cake looks delicious. I plan to make one soon.
Thanks for the mention Peter! I’m thrilled to have sparked your interest in this tasty dessert. Your version sounds amazing.
As Tanna might say, I’m gobsmacked. The crumpled phyllo base looks so intriguing, and oranges!, or possibly Meyer lemons? Even though I’m gluten free these days, I would make this for company. Then maybe steal a tiny bite. ;)
Peter, this is such a different dessert; and I love the part where the ”therapy” is involved ;-) Beautiful!
When I saw this on MAria’s blog I too was intrigued…I love how you’ve taken all the different elements and truly made it your own Peter! Superb and sensational definitely come to mind here!
There is a bakery in Thission which makes the nicest Portokalopita I have ever tried, but this recipe of yours has caught my attention and I might give it a try soon! Looks really easy too.
I saw kali orexi’s recipe too and have promised to make it. Bravo for your version. I am seeing some portkalopita in Athens now but it doesn’t have phyllo – it’s more like kardopita.
Îομίζω θα είναι το αμÎσως επόμενο γλυκό που θα φτιάξω!
Φαντάζομαι τη γεÏση και το άÏωμα!
ΕυχαÏιστώ Peter…
How unique! I bet it tasted so bright and fresh. By the way, I don’t think I said how much I like your new layout, looks very much like a magazine.
LL
This is one unique, gorgeous lookign dessert. I love oranges and I can jsut imagine how wonderful this must have been.
I love it when you post desserts Mr Minaki…nom nom nom. Portokalopita … what a charming name it has. All the orange & flavours in there are gorgeous. Love it Petah!!
I made this orange cake —
very soft, flavours, delicious …
Thanks for this recipe – it is wonderful!
Such an interesting recipe! I’m pretty sure I’ve had something similar, the description and picture look so familiar to me. Well, maybe a past life!
Can’t wait to try this – simple yet elegant, and looks so yum!! :)
Just had this for the first time at a Local Greek cake shop. And yes, yes, yes… It is moist , light and delicious. The lightest cake you’ve ever tasted. The strangest but most refreshing texture which doesnt make you feel guilty about having a second piece. Thank god in finding this post. Can’t wait to making this myself.
ME WANT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HELP
i dont have time to put the phyllo into the freezer overnight cause i need the cake to be done in the evening
big problem? any suggestions how i could solve this problem?
thanks
Leave phyllo out on your counter from the morning to thaw and dry out. You’re going to tear apart the phyllo anyway.