The Bougatsa is a typical Greek dessert, but it’s also part of the Turkish tradition, characterized by a crunchy shell of phyllo pastry and a custard-based filling. The outer casing is made by overlapping several layers of phyllo dough sprinkled with butter, for a golden and crumbly result.
The filling is made of a sweet and delicate custard made from milk and semolina, flavored with a lemon zest. Once ready, the Bougatsa is dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon: it is usually eaten for breakfast, but it is also excellent as a dessert at the end of the meal, given its creamy and irresistible consistency.
There is also a savory version, filled with cheese or minced meat. For the success of the dessert, it is important to handle the phyllo dough with care, especially if you use a frozen one: in fact, they are thin and delicate sheets that could break during the preparation. You can buy the ready-made phyllo dough for greater convenience. The Bougatsa must be served on the same day it’s made, to keep its crust crunchy and crumbly. If you like, you can replace lemon zest with the seeds of a vanilla bean.
Come find out how to make Greek Bougatsa following our step-by-step recipe and our advice.
Ingredients
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