Greek Bougatsa with Honey & Pistachios

Makes 10 servings

Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) was under Greek rule before it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453. During that time, phyllo pastry was invented. Bougatsa is a traditional Greek custard pie made with phyllo. My version features a delicious vanilla pistachio custard encased in flaky phyllo.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and divided
2 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
2 vanilla beans
2¾ cups heavy cream
5 large eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup pistachio butter
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
3 tablespoons honey
¼ cup pistachios, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and coat a 12-inch cake pan with a bit of the melted butter.
2. Separate the phyllo sheets and roll them into logs, place the first one in the center of the prepared pan, and arrange the rest around it until the bottom of the pan is covered.
3. Brush the logs with the melted butter, making sure to get it into every crevice.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, until logs are a golden brown.
5. While the pastry is baking, split the vanilla beans in half, remove the seeds, and place them in a large bowl.
6. Add the heavy cream, eggs, sugar, pistachio butter, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Whisk until smooth.
7. Pour the custard mixture over the hot logs and bake for an additional 20–30 minutes, until the custard sets.
8. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, 20–30 minutes, then drizzle with honey, top with chopped pistachios or any fruit of your choice, and dust with the remaining 2 teaspoons of cinnamon or powdered sugar.
9. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

NUTRITION • PER ONE SERVING

Calories 629 (29%)
Total Fat 44.46 g (92%)
Saturated Fat 24.554 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.101 g
Monounsaturated Fat 14.373 g
Trans Fat 0.01 g
Cholesterol 206 mg
Sodium 288 mg (19%)
Total Carbohydrate: 48.29 g (20%)
Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g (6%)
Total Sugars: 22.95 g
Protein: 9.72 g (18%)
Vitamin A 1504 mcg (64%)
Vitamin C 0.8 mcg (1%)
Vitamin D 47 mcg (8%)
Potassium 205 mg (4%)
Calcium 82 mg (8%)
Iron 2.46 mg (14%)

This AMAZING Recipe can be found in my new Desserts on the Mediterranean cookbook here