October 14 is National Dessert Day, a day when you can indulge in your favourite Greek desserts without regret or remorse.
In celebration we share our Bougatsa recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Bougatsa is a traditional Greek dessert, which can be eaten any time of the day!
It consists of layers and layers of delicious and crispy filo pastry, which is filled with a creamy custard and then dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar.
Here is an easy recipe to follow from my yiayia's hands (walking cookbook).
It’s simply DIVINE and I know you want to eat it!
*Tip: Use a clean cloth to cover the phyllo you are not yet working with.
Ingredients
- 1 packet of filo pastry
- 1 litre of milk
- 1 cup of caster sugar
- 1 cup of fine semolina
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence
- orange rind, grated
- oil for brushing
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
- icing sugar and cinnamon, for dusting
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Heat milk in a pot over medium heat. Add the semolina and stir consistently. Allow the cream to thicken.
- In a bowl, mix the beaten eggs, sugar, vanilla essence and cinnamon.
- Add the mixture from the bowl into the pot. Keep stirring over the heat until the mixture thickens into a custard and no lumps form. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Open up your pack of phyllo and unwrap the sheets. Lay 3 sheets of pastry one on top of the other, brushing oil between each sheet. Cut pastry into 4 squares.
- Place 1/3 cup of custard mixture in the bottom center of your square. Fold sides over and then roll up. Brush the top with oil.
- Place each roll on a greased tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.
- When ready, remove tray from oven. Allow the bougatses to cool on a rack.
- Dust with sifted icing sugar and cinnamon. Enjoy!
Check out our other recipes here:
- Amigthalota- Greek Almond Biscuits Recipe
- Horta Vrasta- Greek Boiled Leafy Greens Recipe
- Spetsofai- Greek Sausage and Peppers Recipe
- Mussels Saganaki Recipe
- Greek-inspired lamb burgers Recipe
- Patsavouropita- Greek Rag Pie Recipe
- Spanakorizo- Spinach and Rice Recipe
- Bourekia Me Kima- Mince Filled Pastries Recipe
- Sokolatopita- Greek Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Loukoumades: Greek Honey Puffs Recipe