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Bougatsa

Bougatsa

Bougatsa is a delicious greek custard-filled dessert, made even more special because it's enveloped with layers of crispy, buttered phyllo pastry.
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Servings: 12
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Custard
  • 4 cups whole milk (1 litre)
  • 1/2 cup semolina
  • 3 tbsp butter (45 grams)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
Phyllo
  • 1 package phyllo pastry; thawed
  • 1 cup melted butter
Toppings
  • powdered sugar (icing sugar)
  • ground cinnamon

Method
 

Making the Custard
  1. Take the phyllo pastry out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature while still in its packaging. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a 13 x 9 inch (33 x 23 cm) baking tray to get it ready for baking.
  2. To make the custard, pour the milk into a saucepan and warm it over medium heat until it’s hot but not boiling. Slowly sprinkle in the semolina while whisking the whole time so it doesn’t form lumps. Add the butter and vanilla, and keep whisking until the mixture starts to thicken — this should take about five minutes.
  3. Next, slowly add the sugar while still whisking, and continue until the custard becomes nice and thick, about three more minutes. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the egg yolks one at a time until everything is smooth and well mixed. Set it aside to cool slightly.
  4. To assemble the bougatsa, brush one sheet of phyllo pastry with melted butter and place it in the center of your baking tray. Keep adding more sheets one by one, brushing each with butter. Let some hang slightly over the sides — one to the right, one to the left, one over the top, and one over the bottom. Finish with a final sheet in the middle. Spread the custard evenly over the pastry with a spatula, then gently fold the overhanging edges over the custard to cover it.
  5. Next, brush another sheet of phyllo with butter and place it over the top. Do the same with a second sheet, then tuck in any loose edges neatly around the edges of the tray. For the top layer, brush a sheet with butter, scrunch it lightly with your hands, and place it on top for some texture. Repeat with the remaining five sheets, brushing each with butter and pressing them down gently with your hands.
  6. Using a sharp knife, cut the bougatsa into quarters lengthwise and then into sixths crosswise. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then cut into smaller squares. Dust generously with icing sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon — and enjoy your bougatsa warm, just as it should be!