Thessaloniki Bougatsa 🧀

Method

1. 1

   Heat milk with lemon zest; rain in semolina stirring hard, cook 5 minutes to a thick pudding, off heat beat in butter, sugar, then the eggs one by one. Cool until spreadable but never cold.

2. 2

   Butter a tray, lay half the leaves brushed generously between each, pour the custard flat, cap with the rest and tuck the edges so nothing leaks.

3. 3

   Score the top lightly, bake at 180 °C 40 minutes to deep gold; while hot, shower thick with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

4. 4

   Cut into squares and serve hot — the custard inside should still tremble; bougatsa that has gone cold gets a 30-second oven, never a microwave.