Filo and feta vie for No1 in the pie charts

Greek entrepreneur Eleftherios Amourgianos is a man with his fingers in more than one pie.

Artisan Greek Pastries, Portobello High Street. Owner Eleftherios Amourgianos, left, his mother Roula and brother Panos.

After launching a successful food import company when he graduated from Heriot Watt University in 2012, he recently opened a Greek pastry shop in Portobello High Street.

When he was looking for a country to share his passion for pies, it seems he came to the right place.

Even the most loyal supporters of the traditional Scotch pie are now finding a taste for filo and getting their mouths around the Mediterranean delights of Spanakopita (spinach with feta) and Zamponotiropita (ham, cheese and tomato sauce).

“When I was studying business management there were so many Greek students who wanted to eat Greek pies. I decided that when I finished my degree I would start my own import company and bring my favourite pies to Scotland,” says Eleftherios.

His company sources handmade artisan products from Athens, Crete and Thessaloniki and distributes them to outlets across country. As demand for his imported pies, cookies and patisserie grew, Eleftherios saw the potential to grow the business by opening his own retail outlet, Greek Artisan Pastries, where all the products are freshly baked on the premises. It also serves as a demonstration bakery, where his import customers can see how the products are baked.

“There is a special art to baking different kinds of filo pastry and here we do it to perfection, with 15 different pies,” he adds.

Since opening the shop at the end of March, Eleftherios has been overwhelmed by the response from customers in Portobello.

“People who say they are delighted that we have brought something different to their neighbourhood. They love being able to buy authentic Greek food.”

Greek Artisan Pastries, 32 Portobello High Street, 0131 283 5136, www.aristonfoodsltd.co.uk.