BOUGATSA

Good Cooking Every Day by Julia Busuttil Nishimura

 

 

Greek custard pies really have my heart and bougatsa is one of my favourites. A semolina custard is enveloped by flaky filo pastry and topped with icing sugar and cinnamon. Traditionally eaten for breakfast, it is also a delightful dessert and is still fantastic the day after, eaten cold straight from the fridge.

 

SERVES 12

 

INGREDIENTS

unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

12 filo sheets

pure icing sugar, sifted, for dusting

ground cinnamon, for dusting

 

SEMOLINA CUSTARD

1.2 litres full-cream milk

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped

1 cinnamon stick

3 strips of lemon peel

80 g unsalted butter, cubed

150 g caster sugar

120 g semolina

2 egg yolks

 

RECIPE

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced. Brush a 30 cm x 25 cm x 5 cm baking tin with melted butter. Set aside.

To make the semolina custard, place the milk, vanilla pod and seeds, cinnamon stick and lemon peel in a large saucepan and warm over a medium heat, until just about to simmer. Add the butter and melt, then whisk in the caster sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until dissolved. Remove the vanilla pod and cinnamon stick and reduce the heat to low. Rain in the semolina and cook, whisking continuously, for 3–4 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks. Set aside.

Brush one sheet of the filo pastry with the melted butter and drape over the base of the tin. Repeat with 5 more sheets of pastry. Spoon in the semolina custard and smooth the surface. Brush one of the remaining filo sheets with some melted butter and drape over the custard. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets, loosely draping them on top and creating some ruffled textures as you lay them down. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until the filo is golden. Allow to cool. Dust with the icing sugar and cinnamon, then cut into large squares and serve