Bougatsa Recipe

Today we want to tempt you with a typical dessert of the Greek tradition, the Bougatsa in Greek Μπουγάτσα.

The origin of this wonder (I only tell you that my husband is capable of eating a whole pan and woe to you if you take it away), is from Northern Greece precisely in the region of Central Macedonia and to be even more precise than village of Serres.

According to history, the recipe was imported by refugees from Asia Minor forced to flee Turkey during the Greek-Turkish war in 1922 when the Hellenic homeland suffered a very heavy defeat still considered a national drama today.

Like everything in Greece, every island, every country, in short, every place has its own version and of course everyone is claiming motherhood but let's skip these tribal diatribes and concentrate rather on knowing this addictive delight.

Let's start by specifying that there is a sweet version the most loved, and a salty version. The wrapping is always the same, crunchy phyllo dough to be stuffed at will. In the sweet version with a vanilla-flavored semolina cream all sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon, the savory version with cheese, usually feta or mizithra is used, or stuffed with minced pork cooked as if it were a ragù but without tomato.

In short, we say that there is something for all tastes but being extremely traditional, we want to give you tips on how to make a sweet Bougatsa even at home so as to remind you of your wonderful holidays in Greece or simply to experience something new.

Ingredients

half liter of milk
70 gr. of butter at room temperature
100 gr. semolina
100 gr. of granulated sugar
a few drops of vanilla essence
10 sheets of phyllo dough
melted butter to grease
sugar and cinnamon

In a saucepan, heat the milk and granulated sugar over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the vanilla and the semolina little by little and in the meantime beat with a whisk at a constant rate until it thickens and has no lumps. Once the consistency is reached, remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until it melts. Leave everything to cool. Grease a pan with butter and lay 5 sheets of filo pastry, buttering them one by one. Put the filling and cover with the other 5 sheets, also individually buttered. Transfer to an oven heated to 180 degrees for about twenty minutes until the dough takes on a golden color. Then let it cool and sprinkle it with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

A simple and quick recipe unless you want to try your hand at making phyllo dough too, which will bring you back to Greece if you have tasted it during your visit or to try it when you are guests in our beloved land and as always Kaly orexi or filos mou (good appetite my friends).

For traditional Greek recipes, go to the website to eat Greek, many beautiful ideas to try at home and to write down in the things to do in Greece for the next trip.

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