The PORTOKALOPITA is a traditional Greek dessert, known for its intense orange aroma and a soft, moist texture thanks to the syrup. It’s a cake made with phyllo pastry and yogurt, prepared with orange juice and zest, which give it a fresh, citrusy flavor.
Portokalopita is usually served cold or at room temperature, often accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a spoonful of whipped cream, thick Greek yogurt, or orange jam. It may seem difficult to make, but don’t be afraid — it’s easier than you might think.
This dessert is perfect for any occasion thanks to its fresh taste and irresistible texture. Try it — trust me, you’ll fall in love at first bite.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 8 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 441.26 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 52.22 (g) of which sugars 33.74 (g)
- Proteins 6.39 (g)
- Fat 24.16 (g) of which saturated 3.26 (g)of which unsaturated 19.81 (g)
- Fibers 1.35 (g)
- Sodium 215.97 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 137 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 oranges (juice and zest)
- 7/8 cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 14 oz phyllo pastry
- 4 eggs (medium, at room temperature)
- 7/8 cup sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup sunflower oil
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (0% fat) (thick)
- 2.5 tsp baking powder
- 2 oranges (untreated zest)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
YOU WILL NEED FOR THE PORTOKALOPITA
- 1 Baking pan rectangular
- 1 Pot
- Electric beaters
- 1 Bowl large
- Citrus juicer
- 1 Grater
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Spatula
PORTOKALOPITA PREPARATION
The preparation of PORTOKALOPITA is very simple but requires a few fundamental steps.
Preheat the oven to 248°F. Open your phyllo sheets and, one by one, scrunch them up starting from the short side. After scrunching one sheet, place it on a baking tray and continue until all the sheets are used.
Bake them and dry them for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, let cool, and roughly crumble them.
In a pot place the sugar, water, the orange juice and zest, and the cinnamon stick. Bring the ingredients to a boil; once it starts boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool completely.
In a very large bowl place the eggs, the sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk them with electric beaters until pale and very frothy. This will take about 10 minutes.
Add the untreated orange zest, vanilla extract, sunflower oil, room-temperature Greek yogurt and the sifted baking powder.
Mix all the ingredients well and add the phyllo pastry little by little, folding it in with a spatula.
Brush with sunflower oil and flour a 13×9-inch pan, pour in the batter and level the surface.
Bake the portokalopita in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F and cook for 40 minutes.
Check doneness with the classic toothpick test.
When the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and, while still hot, completely cover it with the cold syrup. If you like, you can prick it with a skewer to help the syrup penetrate better.
Then let it rest for at least 8 hours so the syrup can fully soak in. The best option is to prepare it the evening before.
Serve cut into small squares.
STORAGE
ROOM TEMPERATURE: you can keep it for 1-2 days. Cover the portokalopita with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Store it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
ROOM TEMPERATURE: you can keep it for 1-2 days. Cover the portokalopita with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Store it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
REFRIGERATOR: you can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days, well covered and on a middle shelf so it maintains a more stable temperature.
FREEZER: it keeps for 3 months. Cut it into single portions and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Then put them in a freezer bag or an airtight freezer-safe container.
When you want to eat it, transfer the portions to the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Then reheat by placing them in the oven at 302°F for 10 minutes, taking care to cover them with aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out.
VARIATIONS
You can replace the sunflower oil with olive oil. The dessert will have a stronger flavor and a darker color.
