Bougatsa (greek Cream-filled Phyllo Pastries)

Total Time: 43 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 18 mins

Ingredients

• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup semolina (farina)
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into bits
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zest of
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 -10 phyllo pastry, thawed, covered with dampened towel
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• icing sugar
• cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 beat eggs until frothy; beat in sugar until thick and foamy, about 4 minutes. set aside.
• 2 heat milk in medium pot until hot but not boiling.
• 3 remove from heat and whisk into egg mixture in a thin stream until all the milk mixture is used up – never stop whisking.
• 4 pour custard mixture back into pot and set on medium-low heat; cook, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes.
• 5 gradually sprinkle in semolina, letting it flow out of your hand in a thin stream; add a pinch of salt.
• 6 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.
• 7 remove, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and cool completely.
• 8 when cool, stir in juice, lemon zest and vanilla.
• 9 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 10 unroll one sheet of phyllo, keeping remainder covered with dampened kitchen towel.
• 11 place on a work surface, with narrow end facing you.
• 12 brush lightly with melted butter.
• 13 place 3 tbsp of custard on lower 1/3 of phyllo.
• 14 using a thin, flexible spatula, spread custard into a wide rectangle, approximately 10x5 inches, nearly covering lower third of phyllo.
• 15 fold right and left sides of phyllo towards center so that edges just meet; lightly brush folded sides with butter.
• 16 fold lower third up and brush with butter.
• 17 fold upper third down and brush with butter.
• 18 it should now look like an envelope.
• 19 place on a lightly buttered baking sheet and repeat envelope-making procedure 7-9 more times (depending on how many bougatsa you are making).
• 20 brush tops of bougatsa with any remaining butter and bake until golden-brown, about 15-18 minutes.
• 21 let cool 20 minutes before serving.
• 22 serve warm, dusted with icing sugar (you should see a coating of the icing sugar) and cinnamon.