Bougatsa From Serres (Sweet Pie)

A traditional greek recipe, easy to make and delicious. 

 (Original recipe by Argiro Barbarigou)

Ingredients:

• 450 gr filo pastry
• 150gr melted butter
• 1 1/2 l milk
• 200 gr fine semolina
• 200 gr caster sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 2/3 tsp vanilla essence powder
• 2 tbsp butter

For the icing:

• cinnamon powder
• icing sugar

Step One

 Warm the milk and caster sugar in a casserole type pan. Add the salt, vanilla essence and semolina all at once and stir with a whisker until the simmering cream thickens. When ready, remove from heat and add the butter. Stir until the butter melts. Let the cream cool and become slightly thicker.

Step Two

 Grease a shallow baking pan measuring 34-36 cm diameter, with butter. Place 9 filo sheets in the bottom in the following manner. Take 1 sheet and place it so that nearly half of it remains outside the pan. Drizzle with melted butter. Place the next so that they slightly overlap, again leaving a large par of the filo sheet dangling outside the pan. Continue arraying the filo sheets in rays around the pan and make sure they are all drizzled with melted butter. Pour the cold cream in and smooth it into a thin layer. Fold the dangling filo sheets over the cream. Cover with the remaining sheets, brushing them well with butter. Stick all remaining filo parts in with a spatula.

Step Three

 Bake at 200°C for 25-30 min until golden brown. Cut in pieces and sprinkle with cinnamon powder and icing sugar.


Tip 1: Use a large and shallow baking pan because the pie is relatively thin.
Tip 2: If you turn it out to another baking pan halfway during baking, the filo pastry will become deliciously crunchy.
Tip 3: Have more melted butter for drizzling on the filo sheets.I needed more then 2 tbsp around 50 gr.