Bougatsa Parcels (Greek Custard Filo Pastry)
Bougatsa is one of Greece’s most beloved pastries, made with delicate layers of buttery filo wrapped around a rich, silky semolina custard before being baked until irresistibly golden and crisp. Traditionally enjoyed for breakfast or as an afternoon treat, every bite is the perfect balance of shatteringly flaky pastry and smooth, creamy filling, finished with a generous dusting of icing sugar and cinnamon. While it looks wonderfully impressive, it’s surprisingly simple to make at home—and once you hear that satisfying crunch as you cut into it, you’ll understand exactly why it’s a Greek favourite.
Ingredients
For the custard
350ml whole milk
45g fine semolina
45g caster sugar
20g unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
For the pastry
150g filo pastry
60g unsalted butter, melted
To finish
Icing sugar
Ground cinnamon
1 hour | Serves 3-4
Method
In a saucepan, combine the milk, semolina, caster sugar, butter, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens into a smooth custard.
Beat the egg in a separate bowl. Once the custard has thickened, remove it from the heat and gradually whisk a few spoonfuls of the hot custard into the egg to temper it. Pour the tempered egg back into the saucepan and cook over a low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly until the custard is thick, glossy and silky. Leave to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (210°C conventional).
Lay half of the filo sheets onto your work surface, brushing each layer generously with melted butter as you stack them. Spoon half of the cooled custard into the centre and fold the pastry over to create a neat rectangular parcel. Repeat with the remaining filo and custard to make a second parcel.
Transfer both parcels to a lined baking tray and brush the tops generously with more melted butter.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until deeply golden, crisp, and beautifully flaky.
Leave to cool for 5 minutes before dusting generously with icing sugar and ground cinnamon. Serve warm while the pastry is wonderfully crisp and the custard is deliciously creamy.
