Best 5 Bougatsa Recipes

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

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 TIS TEBELAS (LAZY WOMAN'S CUSTARD PASTRY)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, continue to heat it another few minutes (anywhere from 4-5) until it turns a dark amber colour and becomes very fragrant (this is called beurre noisette). Immediately remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 375F (190C).
• With your browned butter, generously butter first sheet of filo pastry, then, scrunch up the pastry as if you were making a paper fan (beauty is unimportant, but that is the overall shape you want to achieve - you should be able to do this quickly, no more than 30 seconds per sheet of filo). Lay buttered filo fan down lengthwise in an 18 X 10 inch baking pan. Continue the same way with the remaining sheets of filo, until you have completely filled your pan. If there are any gaps, fill these with your last sheets of buttered filo, torn to accommodate gaps. Pour any browned butter that may be left, over the pastry.
• Bake pastry in preheated oven until a dark, golden-brown colour, about 25-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, empty condensed milk and 2 1/2 times its container of hot water. Add milk, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk to blend and add the eggs, whisking to blend. (It is important to add the eggs AFTER the addition of cold milk as the milk will cool off the hot water somewhat, so the eggs don't curdle).
• Pour the milk mixture over the filo pastry and continue to bake for another 45 minutes.
• The pastry is done when it appears quite 'set' when pressed upon gently - ie. no liquidy custard appears.
• Cut into 4 strips lengthwise and 4 strips crosswise, producing 16 pieces.
• Liberally sift icing sugar over pan and be generous with the cinnamon!
• You can serve this hot, warm or at room temperature.

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.

BOUGATSA RECIPE 1

Steps:

• 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 low heat until it reaches a creamy custard consistency. Remove from heat, take out and discard lemon peel, and allow to cool completely. Stir occasionally to keep the custard from forming a skin on top. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). 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 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 a scissors to trim the top sheets to the size of the pan. Spray the top lightly with water and bake at 350F (180C) for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and cinnamon while hot, and serve warm. 43 min 25 min prep