Delicious Bo(u)gatsa

This morning as C left for Thessaloniki with the van, I was left alone in the yet cold shop. Ah, to warm up my cold fingers and empty stomach. God and DH saw to it. I was offered a warm, creamy bogatsa and a cup of hot chocolate. With what to warm myself till C comes back tonight. And I get to walk the kids home in the afternoon, to a late plate of warm cheese spaghetti...

I made a search on the net to find you a recipe that most resembles this blessed food. My mom used to snob it as a low class kind of food. It may be. But I have grown into finding pleasure in both the simple and the elaborate. And I love it. Especially in the morning.

It is actually a rather old kind of food. Its origins go as deep as the Middle Ages, when it was reportedly made in Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman-Byzantine Empire.

(Traditional woman's dress, Florina, Macedonia, Greece. From the collection of the Lyceum Club of Greek Women)

It is also interesting that there is a Greek traditional dance by the same name (Bougatsas) or "Arravoniasmata" (Betrothal).
The first dance of the wedding dinner is led by the best man, followed by the groom and bride, any engaged couples and young people. This dance is named after the bougatsa, not quite like the one we are talking about here, but a type of bread, circular in shape, which was made the days preceding the wedding ceremony. The bougatsa is carried by the best man as he leads the dance. When the dance is over, it is passed on to the bride and groom, who pull at it in a fashion similar to a wishbone. The person who ends up with the larger piece of the bread is said to have the upper hand in the new household. Everyone present at the wedding ceremony is encouraged to partake in the eating of the bougatsa so that the bride will always be satiated or full. Interesting, don't you think?

The most famous bogatsa today is made in Thessaloniki. They make it with either cream filling and meat filling. I like both. We had a late night dinner of bogatsa when we came back from our Christmas holiday in Vienna in 2007. Unforgettable under the Christmas lights.

 Serrai, another Northern city claims the laurel wreath of the perfectly heartwarming sweet treat.

I have found two recipes to share. One is from the Guild of Bogatsa makers in Serrai.

The other one from Aussie Not Quite Nigella where the picture comes from.

However, if you are not that much into making your own phyllo pastry, try this recipe which calls for store-bought phyllo.

Bougatsa with ready made phyllo


Prep Time: 1 hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 1/4 cups of whole milk

sliced peel of 1 lemon

1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar

3/4 cup of semolina

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

12 sheets of commercial phyllo dough

6 ounces of butter, melted

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For the topping:

confectioner's sugar

ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Warm the milk and lemon peel in a saucepan. Stir in semolina with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thoroughly blended and thickened. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until light and add to the pan, stirring over medium-low heat until it reaches a creamy custard consistency. Remove from heat, take out and discard lemon peel, and allow to cool completely. Stir occasionally to keep the custard from forming a skin on top.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Lightly brush a baking pan (13 X 9 X 2 or equivalent) with butter. Line the bottom of the pan with 8 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet well with the melted butter. Add the custard filling. Fold the excess phyllo that overlaps the pan in over the custard. Top with the remaining phyllo, brushing each with butter. Use a scissors to trim the top sheets to the size of the pan. Spray the top lightly with water and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and cinnamon while hot, and serve warm.

Kali Orexi!