Prep. Time 10′         Baking Time 40′       Serves 12

Ingredients

  • 1 package fillo pastry
  • 150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1½ l fresh milk
  • 200g fine semolina
  • 200g sugar
  • 2 vanilla pods
  • 2 pinches of salt
  • 60g unsalted butter
  • Sugar
  • Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan with a thick base, combine the milk, semolina, sugar, vanilla pods, and salt.
  2. Allow them to simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until a smooth cream forms.
  3. The whole process takes only a few minutes.
  4. Once it comes to a boil, remove the saucepan from the heat.
  5. Add the butter and stir until melted.
  6. Transfer it to a wide bowl to stop the cooking process. As the temperature drops, it will stabilize and thicken.
  7. Cover the entire surface with kitchen.
  8. Brush a rectangular baking pan (23×33 cm) with the melted, cooled butter.
  9. Layer 5 fillo sheets, making sure they are facing each other diagonally, so that enough fillo protrudes from all sides of the dish.
  10. Butter the entire surface of the fillo including the sides.
  11. Pour the cream over.
  12. Fold the sides protruding from the sides of the dish inwards.
  13. Finally, layer the remaining five sheets on top after buttering each of them very well.
  14. The top sheets protruding from the sides should be push in and down the sides with a spatula.
  15. Butter the surface very well.
  16. At this stage, when the dish is ready and cold, you can wrap it with kitchen wrap and store in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for several months.
  17. Should you want to store the bougatsa, however, you should make sure to buy fresh not frozen fillo, as you cannot thaw and refreeze it.
  18. Bake in a convection over at 180 ºC on the middle rack for about 35 minutes until the pie puffs up and the sheet turns golden brown.
  19. Serve with powdered sugar and cinnamon on top.

Enjoy!

Source: Argiro Barbarigou