Bougatsa, a traditional rustic pastry dish, comes from the Ottoman word pogatsa – meaning a pie filled with cheese.
It is believed to have originated prior to the Ottoman conquest when Constantinople was Greek. Initially, filled with numerous sweet and savoury fillings, it evolved into a thinly rolled, hand-made phyllo pastry.

As time went on, it became a specialty of Serres and Thessaloniki.

Below is the lazy person’s version of the delicious treat.

INGREDIENTS

-1 packet of phyllo pastry
-250gr melted butter
-6 eggs
-400 grams of condensed milk
-1/2 cup black sugar
-cinnamon
-milk
-icing sugar

READ MORE: Recipe: Low Fat Bougatsa

METHOD

1) Butter the pyrex.
2) Crunch strips of phyllo pastry (as in a fan).
3) Cover with melted butter and pierce with a fok.
4) Put in oven at 200 degrees C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
5) For the cream: Beat eggs, condensed milk, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Heat until it comes to a boil.
6) Pierce with fork and pour the mixture over the phyllo pastry and bake for 25 minutes.
7) Using a sieve, cover with icing sugar and cinnamon.