Ingredients
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1 egg, room temperature
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1 egg yolk, room temperature
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¼ cup sugar
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1½ cups whole milk
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¼ cup semolina (farina)
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2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
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1 lemon, zest of
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½ teaspoon vanilla extract
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8-10 phyllo pastry, thawed, covered with dampened towel
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½ cup butter, melted
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icing sugar
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cinnamon
Summary
One of our favorite desserts! Our bougatsa recipe is a traditional, custard pie, but in researching the history, we found that it had a deeper history than a simple dessert.
Bougatsa is a traditional, rustic Greek pie consisting of a phyllo pastry layered with a filling of minced meat, cheese, or semolina custard. The name of the dish is a derivation of the Ottoman word pogatsa, denoting a pie filled with cheese.
Bougatsa has origins from the Byzantine period, when Constantinople was Greek, and it began as a dough that was stuffed with numerous sweet and savory fillings. Over time, bougatsa evolved to incorporate a thinly rolled, hand-made phyllo pastry. As many Turkish immigrants settled in Northen Greece, bougatsa became a specialty of Serres and Thessaloniki.
Today, the pies can be found throughout Greece, and now with our recipe, you can make your own!
Steps
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1
Done
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Beat eggs until frothy; beat in sugar until thick and foamy, about 4 minutes. Set aside. |
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2
Done
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Heat milk in medium pot until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and whisk into egg mixture in a thin stream until all the milk mixture is used up – never stop whisking. |
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3
Done
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Pour custard mixture back into pot and set on medium-low heat; cook, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes. Gradually sprinkle in semolina, letting it flow out of your hand in a thin stream; add a pinch of salt. |
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4
Done
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Reduce heat to very low, cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth, about 5-6 minutes. Whisk in pieces of cut up butter, incorporating completely into the semolina custard. |
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5
Done
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Remove, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and cool completely. |
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6
Done
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When cool, stir in juice, lemon zest and vanilla. |
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7
Done
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Preheat oven to 350°F. |
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8
Done
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Unroll one sheet of phyllo, keeping remainder covered with dampened kitchen towel. Place on a work surface, with narrow end facing you. |
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9
Done
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Brush lightly with melted butter. Place 3 tbsp of custard on lower ⅓ of phyllo. |
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10
Done
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Using a thin, flexible spatula, spread custard into a wide rectangle, approximately 10x5 inches, nearly covering lower third of phyllo. |
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11
Done
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Fold right and left sides of phyllo towards center so that edges just meet; lightly brush folded sides with butter. |
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12
Done
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Fold lower third up and brush with butter. |
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13
Done
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Fold upper third down and brush with butter. It should now look like an envelope. |
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14
Done
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Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet and repeat envelope-making procedure 7-9 more times (depending on how many bougatsa you are making). |
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15
Done
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Brush tops of bougatsa with any remaining butter and bake until golden-brown, about 15-18 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes before serving. |
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16
Done
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Serve warm, dusted with the sugar and cinnamon. |
