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Portokalopita
Orange syrup cake made with shredded fillo (πορτοκαλόπιτα)
Portokalopita is a Greek orange cake with an unusual trick: instead of flour, it uses dried, torn fillo pastry, which soaks up an orange yogurt batter and then a hot orange syrup. It became a favourite in Greek homes in the 1990s and is now baked for coffee mornings, Sunday visits and village festivals across the country. The texture is like a moist sponge with crisp edges, very orangey and not too sweet. It keeps beautifully, so it is perfect for making the day before. Chef's tip: dry the fillo properly until crisp; using it soft is the usual mistake and gives a heavy, gummy cake.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the syrup
For the cake
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 250°F (200°F fan). Tear 14 oz fillo pastry into rough pieces about 3 cm across and spread on two baking trays. Dry in the oven for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until crisp and pale (not brown).
25 minStep 2: Meanwhile, simmer 9 oz sugar, ¾ cup water, ¾ cup orange juice and 1 cinnamon stick over a medium heat for 6 minutes, then leave to cool.
6 minStep 3: Turn the oven up to 350°F (325°F fan) and oil a 23 × 33 cm tin.
Step 4: Whisk 4 eggs and 5 ½ oz caster sugar until pale and foamy. Whisk in 9 oz Greek yogurt, ¾ cup sunflower oil, 2 tbsp orange zest, ¼ cup orange juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp baking powder until smooth.
Step 5: Fold in the dried fillo with a spatula until every piece is coated. Spread in the tin and press down lightly.
Step 6: Bake for 40–45 minutes, until golden brown, springy in the middle and a skewer comes out clean.
40 minStep 7: Spoon the cool syrup slowly over the hot cake, letting each spoonful soak in. Leave for at least 1 hour before cutting. It keeps 4 days covered.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does portokalopita take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of orange juice?
- Mandarin or pineapple juice, same amount.
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