June Cooking Club Challenge
Jun. 29th, 2011 05:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_planThis one was inspired by FoodNetwork.ca's June Cooking Club Challenge, which was in turn inspired by an episode of Top Chef Canada. So with that in mind, and with a nod to Canada Day this week - I took a classic Greek breakfast pastry made with phyllo pastry and Canadianized it by glazing it with maple syrup (instead of the traditional powdered sugar).
Bougatsa
2 eggs, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup semolina (farina)
1 cup butter, cut into bits
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 vanilla bean pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 454 gr boxes phyllo pastry, thawed, covered with dampened towel
melted butter
maple syrup
Slice vanilla bean pod open and scape the seeds out, add seeds and pod to the milk. Heat milk in medium pot until hot but not boiling.
Beat eggs until frothy; beat in sugar until thick and foamy, about 4 minutes. Remove milk from the heat and whisk slowly into egg mixture.
Return the custard mixture back to pot and set on medium-low heat; cook, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle in semolina slowly whisking the whole time.
Reduce heat to low, stir constantly, until custard is thick and smooth, about 5-6 minutes. Add the pieces cut up butter, continue to whisk until butter is fully melted and beat into the mixture. Add the zest of one lemon, and squeeze in the juice too. Whisk to combine
Cover custard surface with a piece of plastic wrap and allow to cool completely.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Unroll your package of phyllo, keep a damp kitchen towel handy to cover the waiting sheets while you build your pastry.
Place first sheet of phyllo on a work surface, with narrow end facing you. Brush lightly with melted butter. Lay a second sheet on top of the first. Brush again with melted butter. Continue until you have a layer of approximately 8-10 sheets of phyllo.
Place approximately 2/3 cup of custard into the centre of your prepared phyllo, spread out to approximately 1 1/2 inches from the long sides and 3 inches from the short sides (vaguely squarish).
Fold right and left sides (long sides) of phyllo from the edge of the custard towards centre. Fold the top and bottom (short sides) of the phyllo from the edge of the custard towards the centre - till they meet and slightly overlap.
Brush top with butter. Gently lift the pastry and turn and place folded side down on a buttered baking sheet. Brush the top with butter.
Continue to make phyllo and custard packets until you run out of pastry, or custard or both.
Bake until golden-brown, about 15-18 minutes.
Drizzle warm pastry with maple syrup and spread gently over the top with pastry brush
Let cool 20 minutes before serving.
Cut into 9 or so equal squares using a pizza wheel or mezzaluna. Use a wide spatula to transfer the cut pieces to a plate. Serve warm.
Bougatsa
2 eggs, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup semolina (farina)
1 cup butter, cut into bits
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 vanilla bean pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 454 gr boxes phyllo pastry, thawed, covered with dampened towel
melted butter
maple syrup
Slice vanilla bean pod open and scape the seeds out, add seeds and pod to the milk. Heat milk in medium pot until hot but not boiling.
Beat eggs until frothy; beat in sugar until thick and foamy, about 4 minutes. Remove milk from the heat and whisk slowly into egg mixture.
Return the custard mixture back to pot and set on medium-low heat; cook, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle in semolina slowly whisking the whole time.
Reduce heat to low, stir constantly, until custard is thick and smooth, about 5-6 minutes. Add the pieces cut up butter, continue to whisk until butter is fully melted and beat into the mixture. Add the zest of one lemon, and squeeze in the juice too. Whisk to combine
Cover custard surface with a piece of plastic wrap and allow to cool completely.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Unroll your package of phyllo, keep a damp kitchen towel handy to cover the waiting sheets while you build your pastry.
Place first sheet of phyllo on a work surface, with narrow end facing you. Brush lightly with melted butter. Lay a second sheet on top of the first. Brush again with melted butter. Continue until you have a layer of approximately 8-10 sheets of phyllo.
Place approximately 2/3 cup of custard into the centre of your prepared phyllo, spread out to approximately 1 1/2 inches from the long sides and 3 inches from the short sides (vaguely squarish).
Fold right and left sides (long sides) of phyllo from the edge of the custard towards centre. Fold the top and bottom (short sides) of the phyllo from the edge of the custard towards the centre - till they meet and slightly overlap.
Brush top with butter. Gently lift the pastry and turn and place folded side down on a buttered baking sheet. Brush the top with butter.
Continue to make phyllo and custard packets until you run out of pastry, or custard or both.
Bake until golden-brown, about 15-18 minutes.
Drizzle warm pastry with maple syrup and spread gently over the top with pastry brush
Let cool 20 minutes before serving.
Cut into 9 or so equal squares using a pizza wheel or mezzaluna. Use a wide spatula to transfer the cut pieces to a plate. Serve warm.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-30 05:32 am (UTC)Somewhere on the internet there's a recipe for "Bacon Baklava" - basically using bacon bits instead of chopped nuts. The next logical step would be "Maple Bacon Baklava", using maple syrup instead of honey for the syrup that moistens the pastry. I'm very sorely tempted to try making that myself...
no subject
Date: 2011-06-30 03:25 pm (UTC)I made 2, the recipe as written will make 4-5 (in my case I only had one box of phyllo) the left over custard is in the fridge. I'd do the whole thing for a family breakfast or guests for brunch sort of thing.
Also there's another style - done with greek fresh cheese (a more crete specialty - the custard style seems to be a northern thing). I can't find much greek cheese here, but I might try it with some ricotta.
As for how long they'll keep, not really sure - the dog ate them all - well one and a half of the two (James and I had snacked on one and were going to come back to it but then Buddy got to em)
The bacon baklava sounds like an amazing idea and yeah I'm thinking maple syrup instead of honey for sure :)
no subject
Date: 2011-06-30 09:42 pm (UTC)I just bought some phyllo for another project, which won't use the entire package. Depending on how much is left, I might try halving the recipe for the custard... or I might just make Maple Bacon Baklava :-D
(You have no idea how happy I am that I can once again eat bacon without it upsetting my nether regions!)