Bougatsa is a Greek pastry filled with custard made from phyllo dough. It is popular in Macedonia and Crete, and can also be filled with cheese or ground beef. The largest bougatsa ever made was commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serres in 2008.
Bougatsa is a type of snack or breakfast pastry from southeastern Greece, filled with custard. This food product is made from phyllo, also known as “filo” or “fillo”, which is a type of dough made from unleavened flour characterized by its thinness. Phyllo is widely used in the Middle East and Southeastern Europe. Bougatsa comes from the northeastern Greek region of Macedonia.
The custard filling is typically made by whisking eggs, milk, grits, lemon zest, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl, then pouring the mixture into a skillet and heating it for up to five minutes, stirring constantly. The final product must have a considerable thickness without being lumpy.
To continue making the pasta, another pan is greased with melted butter so the phyllo sheets can be laid on top of it. Once the sheets are spread out in the pan, you can pour in the custard filling. The phyllo is then folded in an envelope-like fashion, with the excess dough trimmed off. The top of the bougatsa is coated with any remaining melted butter and baked in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) oven for up to 40 minutes. The pasta is cooked when it is golden brown.
In Macedonia, bougatsa is particularly popular in Thessaloniki, which is the capital of the central area of the region, as well as the second largest city in the country. It is also popular in Crete, particularly in its two largest cities: Iraklion, which is also the capital of the island nation; and Chania, which is the second largest city in Crete. The inhabitants of Chania call the bougatsa pastry Chanion. They prepare the dough using an unpasteurized cheese made from goat or sheep’s milk and whey, called mizithra.
There are variations on the recipe. The custard filling can be replaced with cheese or ground beef. For example, Chanion bougatsa is filled with cheese and usually served as square pieces prepared for dipping sugar.
As of June 2011, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serres, based in Macedonia, holds the record for commissioning the largest bougatsa. This was achieved on 1 June 2008 by 40 bakers. The final product measured approximately 65 feet (20 meters) long and 2 feet (60 centimeters) wide, weighing 401 pounds 11 ounces (182.2 kilograms).
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