Explore Greece's Breakfast Secret: Homemade Bougatsa Recipe

Tzatziki, salad, or moussaka are popular and beloved Greek dishes. However, when it comes to what is eaten for breakfast in Greece, not many of us can name even one traditional delicacy. That's why it's worth getting to know crispy bougatsa.

Greeks often do not celebrate breakfasts in a grand manner. Typically, they eat their famous yogurt, fruits, and honey. When they crave something more refined, they prepare bougatsa, a type of sweet pastry made from filo dough and delicious cream.

Throughout Greece, in almost every town, and sometimes even in the countryside, you can find places specializing in bougatsas. It's pleasant to have breakfast in a small café, but this delicacy is also very easy to make at home, and not necessarily in Greece. The main ingredient of bougatsa, filo dough, can be easily purchased in discount stores.

The first mentions of filo dough appeared as early as the 3rd century BCE. Hence, many products from Greece and Turkey are based on it, not only bougatsa but also the famous dessert baklava. Filo dough, like puff pastry, requires a lot of patience and skill in preparation. Kneading is not everything—the most challenging part is rolling out the dough into a very thin sheet resembling a piece of paper. That's why frozen filo is the most popular. Its primary ingredients are flour, water, oil, and vinegar. Some recipes also include egg yolks.

Planning to make bougatsa? Thaw the filo dough in the refrigerator to maintain its good consistency. When rolling and cutting, make sure the individual sheets don’t dry out. Cover them with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. The dough needs to be quickly filled with the stuffing. Filo dough is much less greasy than puff pastry, so its layers need to be brushed with fat to achieve the effect of light, flaky sheets. Melted butter or olive oil is suitable, especially for savoury pastries.

Ingredients:

• 450 grams of frozen filo dough,
• 1 litre of milk,
• 150 grams of fine semolina,
• 20 grams of potato or corn starch,
• 250 grams of sugar,
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract,
• Approx. 250 millilitres of olive oil,
• Powdered sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling.

Preparation method:

1. Thaw the filo dough in the fridge the day before but do not remove it from the packaging to prevent it from drying out.
2. Pour the milk into a large saucepan with a thick bottom. Add sugar, fine semolina, potato starch, and vanilla extract. Mix everything until dissolved and start heating. When it boils, it should thicken.
3. Pour the mixture into a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't contact the air and form a skin, and place it in the refrigerator to chill for about an hour.
4. Lay out a sheet of filo dough on the counter and brush it with olive oil. Place another sheet of filo dough on the greased dough and brush it again with olive oil. Repeat this step once more to obtain three layers of filo dough.
5. Spread the chilled and set cream in the centre of the prepared dough sheets, forming a large rectangle.
6. Fold the sides of the dough over one another, brushing olive oil on any exposed areas before folding, forming a rectangular package.
7. Repeat these steps with the remaining ingredients until all are used. You should have about four to six bougatsa packages.
8. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
9. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place the prepared bougatsas on it, about one centimetre apart.
10. Brush them thoroughly with olive oil on top, place them in the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes until they are browned. Serve them sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon.