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Portokalopita (Πορτοκαλόπιτα)

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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).
  3. Grease the inside of your pan with melted butter.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Place in your pre-heated oven (middle rack) for 45-50 minutes or until golden on top.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.

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47 Responses

  1. 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…

  2. Peter αυτή ακριβώς τη συνταγή έψαχνα!!
    Καλημέρα!!!

  3. Πήτερ, απλά υ π έ ρ ο χ η !!!! φανταζομαι το αρωμά της και την γεύση της και μου τρέχουν τα σάλια !!!!

    φιλια πολλά και καλό μήνα !!!

  4. Και εγώ δεν είχα ξαναφτιάξει ποτέ και μόλις την έφτιαξα ξετρελάθηκα! Λίγο μου χάλασε το φύλλο από πάνω γιατί δεν περίμενα να κρυώσει το σιρόπι! Αχ, τι μου τη θύμισες!

  5. 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

  6. 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.

  7. διαφορετικός ο τρόπος παρασκευής του συγκεκριμένου γλυκού από τους τρόπους που προσωπικά γνωρίζω και δεν έχει και πολύ ζάχαρη… είναι ότι πρέπει…

  8. 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!

  9. 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.

  10. Εχω δοκιμάσει πορτοκαλόπιτα, είναι τέλεια!!
    Thanks για την συνταγή Peter:))

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. 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. :)

  14. 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!

  15. 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.

  16. 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. ;)

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. Νομίζω θα είναι το αμέσως επόμενο γλυκό που θα φτιάξω!
    Φαντάζομαι τη γεύση και το άρωμα!
    Ευχαριστώ Peter…

  20. 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!!

  21. 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.

  22. 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

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