Bougatsa Cream Pie Greece Food

BOUGATSA - CRISPY FILO PASTRY FILLED WITH WARM CUSTARD CREAM

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs and cornstarch. Set aside.
• In a cooking pot add milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Heat over medium-high heat.
• Once milk reaches a boiling point remove from heat. Using a ladle, start pouring milk slowly, into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
• Incorporate half the milk into the eggs and then transfer the mixture back to the pot.
• Transfer pot back to the heat and keep whisking until cream thickens.
• Set cream aside while you prepare the base.
• Preheat oven to 200°C / 392°F.
• Lay open the filo stack on your working surface.
• Grease a 15x10 inch / 38x25 cm baking dish with melted butter.
• Take one filo sheet and gather it up together (to make it look wavy) to the corner of the dish. Repeat process with 4 more filo sheets to cover the whole bottom of the dish.
• Drizzle using the ⅓ of the melted butter.
• Bake filo for 5 minutes or until it gets a golden color all over on top.
• Remove from the oven and spread the cream evenly on top.
• Add the remaining filo sheets exactly the same way as you did for the base. You may tear a filo sheet apart in order to fill empty spaces.
• Drizzle remaining butter on top.
• Bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until filo looks crispy and deep golden in color.
• Set pastry aside for 10-15 minutes.
• Dust with plenty of icing sugar and cinnamon. Ready to cut and serve!

CREAMY CUSTARD PHYLLO PASTRY

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Warm the milk and lemon peel in a saucepan. Stir in semolina with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thoroughly blended and thickened.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light and add to the pan, stirring over medium-low heat until the mixture reaches a creamy custard consistency.
• Remove from heat, take out and discard the lemon peel, and allow the mixture to cool completely. Stir occasionally to keep the custard from forming a skin on top.
• Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
• Lightly brush a baking pan (13 x 9 x 2 or equivalent) with butter.
• Line the bottom of the pan with 8 sheets of phyllo, brushing between each sheet well with the melted butter. Add the custard filling.
• Fold the excess phyllo that overlaps the pan in over the custard.
• Top with the remaining phyllo, brushing each with butter.
• Use scissors to trim the top sheets to the size of the pan.
• Spray the top lightly with water and bake at 350 F (180 C) for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon while hot, and serve warm.
• Enjoy!

BOUGATSA

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese at high speed until light and fluffy.
• Lower the speed and add the ricotta, cottage cheese, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and the nutmeg.
• Beat for 1 minute at high speed, then set aside while you prepare the phyllo.
• Lay the phyllo flat on a table and keep covered with a damp towel over waxed paper or plastic wrap.
• By stacking 4 sheets, form a base of 15 x 18 inches, brushing the top of each sheet with melted butter as you stack them.
• Then lay 2 sheets at right angles over the center, using the "base" as a diamond, not a square, brushing the center of each with butter.
• Divide the filling into 3 parts and spread one part over the phyllo to form a 7-inch square.
• Set the rest of the filling aside.
• Fold the top phyllo sheet over the cheese and brush with butter, and continue folding the phyllo over the cheese to make a square, brushing each time with butter.
• With a wide spatula, lift the bougatsa and invert onto a cookie sheet.
• Brush the top with butter and set aside.
• Repeat with the remaining phyllo, filling until all 3 square pies are folded.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until the phyllo puffs up and turns a golden chestnut color.
• Cut into small squares and sprinkle with additional sugar.
• Serve piping hot.

BOUGATSA (GREEK CREAM-FILLED PHYLLO PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Beat eggs until frothy; beat in sugar until thick and foamy, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat milk in medium pot until hot but not boiling.
• Remove from heat and whisk into egg mixture in a thin stream until all the milk mixture is used up - never stop whisking.
• Pour custard mixture back into pot and set on medium-low heat; cook, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes.
• Gradually sprinkle in semolina, letting it flow out of your hand in a thin stream; add a pinch of salt.
• Reduce heat to very low, cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth, about 5-6 minutes. Whisk in pieces of cut up butter, incorporating completely into the semolina custard.
• Remove, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and cool completely.
• When cool, stir in juice, lemon zest and vanilla.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Unroll one sheet of phyllo, keeping remainder covered with dampened kitchen towel.
• Place on a work surface, with narrow end facing you.
• Brush lightly with melted butter.
• Place 3 tbsp of custard on lower 1/3 of phyllo.
• Using a thin, flexible spatula, spread custard into a wide rectangle, approximately 10x5 inches, nearly covering lower third of phyllo.
• Fold right and left sides of phyllo towards center so that edges just meet; lightly brush folded sides with butter.
• Fold lower third up and brush with butter.
• Fold upper third down and brush with butter.
• It should now look like an envelope.
• Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet and repeat envelope-making procedure 7-9 more times (depending on how many bougatsa you are making).
• Brush tops of bougatsa with any remaining butter and bake until golden-brown, about 15-18 minutes.
• Let cool 20 minutes before serving.
• Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar (you should see a coating of the icing sugar) and cinnamon.

BOUGATSA -- CREAM PIE (GREECE)

Steps:

• FOR THE CREAM: In a small saucepan bring milk & vanilla extract JUST to a boil.
• In another saucepan, melt butter over medium heat & then add the semolina, stirring for 1 minute.
• Strain the milk over the semolina, stirring continuously. Add the sugar & continue stirring for 4-5 minutes, or until mixture is thickened, then remove from the heat & set aside to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent the formation of a skin on top.
• In a small container, beat together the egg & 1 egg yolk, & when the milk mixture is cool, stir the eggs into the milk mixture.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F & coat the inside of an 8-inch-square baking dish with a little butter.
• Cut the sheets of filo to fit the baking dish & then lay 6 sheets into the baking dish, brushing the top side of each with melted butter.
• Spread the cream filling over the pastry & cover with the remaining sheets, again brushing each sheet with butter. Keep the filo covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel at all times so it doesn't dry out.
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until the pastry is crisp & golden, then remove from the oven & cut into 4 squares. Sprinkle each with powdered sugar & a little cinnamon & serve hot or warm.