Eggless Bougatsa, Custard Filled Greek Phyllo Pastries

          Bougatsa is a sweet custard filled phyllo pastry, it's supposed to be a famous breakfast dish in Greece. After making the baklava and spanakopita, I had some phyllo sheets left, and I wanted to try out this delicious pastry Bougatsa. All the recipes that I saw had eggs in them and I wanted to make an eggless version, but doing an eggless version was not difficult at all. The pastries came out really good. the outer layer was crispy and the sweet custard filling was very delicious, do try this out if you can find phyllo pastry sheets and also if you like custard..

Need To Have

• Phyllo Pastry Sheets - 4
• Butter for greasing the sheets
• Powdered Sugar and Cinnamon for dusting

For The Filling

• Fine Semolina/ Chiroti Rava - 1/4 cup
• Unsalted Butter - 3 tablespoons
• Eggless Custard Powder - 2 tablespoons
• Milk - 500 ml
• Granulated Sugar - 5 tablespoons
• Vanilla Extract - 1/4 teaspoon

Original recipe here

Method

          Heat the butter, add the semolina and roast it for 3 to 5 minutes, reserving 1/2 cup of the milk, add the remaining milk to the semolina and whisk it well.

          Before starting, mix the custard powder in the 1/2 cup milk and mix it well and keep. After whisking the semolina well without lumps, add the sugar and the custard mixture and keep mixing.

          When it turns thick like I have shown in the picture, add the vanilla extract, mix and remove. Let the custard filling cool.

          Now take one phyllo sheet ( keep the rest covered with a damp dish towel ) and brush with some butter. Place another sheet on top and again brush with some butter. Place about a cup of the filling in the center.

          Now fold one side and again apply butter, then fold the opposite side. Then fold the other two sides as shown. Repeat the same with the other 2 phyllo sheets.

          Place the pastries ( fold side down ) on a parchment paper lined baking tray and brush the top with some butter. Bake this at 185 C for 30 to 35 minutes till the the pastry turns golden in color. Remove, cool the bougatsa, then slice them into square pieces and serve them dusted with some powdered sugar and cinnamon.

Notes
Handle the phyllo pastry gently.
The filling can be done the previous day and the bougatsa can be done in the morning.
It tastes best when served immediately.
Though it's served for breakfast we can have it for dessert too.