Greek Custard Pie (Bougatsa)

Hello,

Ohhh Bougatsa…aman aman and again aman just saying the word makes me smile Bougatsa Greek Custard Pie. Have you ever strolled through a Greek village and found the bakery early in the morning? Sniffing that scent of buttery phyllo and creamy custard that’s floating out of the bakery. That’s Bougatsa calling my name and yours! And honestly, I can never resist. Layers of flaky phyllo wrapped around a soft, sweet semolina custard.  I always sprinkle so much cinnamon and powdered sugar.  It just makes my day!

Bougatsa is one of those recipes that just feels like home. My mom, grandmother, and aunt (I have to include them all) used to serve it warm, straight from the oven. And with enough powdered sugar and cinnamon on top to create a small snowstorm. You’d take a bite, burn your tongue a little (because you never wait long enough for it to cool), that’s how good it is! I know that for those of you who are chocolate lovers, this may not be the dessert you would choose, but trust me, it’s delicious.

And here’s the thing, Bougatsa isn’t just for breakfast (though it’s perfect with a cup of Greek coffee or any coffee for that matter). You can enjoy it for dessert, as an afternoon treat, or, let’s be real, for dinner when you don’t feel like cooking anything else.  Now, if you are like me, you can actually have a piece of Bougatsa for dinner. 🙂

Milk, semolina, sugar, butter, and phyllo are the basic ingredients. Semolina is what makes this dessert so good.  Oh, and don’t worry about making a mess with the phyllo sheets. They tear, they wrinkle, they crumble, and that’s totally okay! Think of it as rustic charm.

So whether you’re baking it for Sunday brunch or just because you need a little sweetness in your day, Bougatsa will never disappoint you. In some regions of Greece, they don’t garnish Bougatsa on top but rather sprinkle the cinnamon and powdered sugar inside the filling.

Go on and make this delicious Greek Custard Pie (Bougatsa) and see for yourself.

Have a great morning, afternoon, and evening, everyone!

Greek Custard Pie (Bougatsa)

foodzesty

Greek Custard Pie (Bougatsa) is a classic Greek treat made with layers of buttery phyllo wrapped around a creamy semolina custard, dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Crispy on the outside and silky on the inside.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine Greek

Servings 10 portions

Ingredients

  

• 6 phyllo sheets
• 4 ½ cups fresh milk room temp
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup semolina
• 12 tbsp butter + 3 extra butter
• 1½ tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt optional
• cinnamon powder
• icing sugar

Instructions

 

• Start by taking the phyllo dough out of the freezer. Let it thaw completely according to the package instructions. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• In a large saucepan, add the milk, sugar, semolina, and salt over low to medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture thickens into a smooth, velvety cream. Once it has thickened, remove it from the heat, add the vanilla and the butter. Stir until the butter has completely melted.
• Cover it with a lid that prevents the surface of the cream from forming a layer of skin. Set aside.
• Butter a baking dish about 35x25 cm or slightly larger. Layer 3 sheets of phyllo dough in the pan. Brush each sheet generously with the melted butter. Pour in the custard filling and spread it evenly into a thick layer. Fold in the excess phyllo hanging over the edges inward and cover the cream.
• Cover the pie with the last 3 sheets of phyllo sheets. Slightly crinkled, brushing each one with melted butter. For the top layers, don’t brush them, just drizzle a little butter over them so they bake up light and crispy without sticking together.
• Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until flaky and golden brown. Sprinkle cinnamon and icing sugar and serve.

Keyword custardpies, Easy, greekbaking, Phyllo Sheet Dough, pies

KALI SAS OREXI!! 🙂