Ingredients
For the Fillo Pastry
12 sheets Antoniou Fillo Pastry
150g unsalted butter, melted and clarified
For the custard
1 litre milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fine semolina
50g butter, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
2 egg yolks
For decorating
Icing sugar
Ground cinnamon
Method
Before you begin this Fillo Pastry recipe, take your Filo Pastry out of the fridge to bring it up to room temperature in its packaging.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius, fan forced. Grease and line a baking tray, 37cm by 25cm (or slightly smaller).
To make the custard
Place the milk in a saucepan over medium heat and heat the milk until it is hot but not boiling. Sprinkle the semolina in gradually while constantly whisking. Add the butter and vanilla and whisk constantly until the custard starts to thicken, approximately 5 minutes. Sprinkle the sugar in slowly while whisking constantly and until the custard thickens, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the eggs yolks one at a time, beating constantly until they are well incorporated. Set aside.
To assemble the Bougatsa
Brush one sheet of Filo Pastry with melted butter and transfer it to the baking tray. Continue with remaining 5 sheets of Pastry, positioning each sheet so that one side of the Pastry overhangs slightly over an edge, with an even overhang around the whole tray (so that there will be enough to tuck in over the custard). Evenly spread the custard over the Fillo Pastry using a spatula. Tuck the overhanging Pastry over the custard.
Brush one sheet of Fillo Pastry with butter and place it over the custard in a rough and slightly messy fashion. Repeat with remaining five sheets of Pastry.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, cut into small squares and dust with icing sugar and ground cinnamon. Bougatsa is best enjoyed warm.