Bougatsa

Bougatsa
	bougatsa
Type	Pastry
Place of origin	Greece
Main ingredients	Phyllo; filling of semolina custard or feta cheese or other
	Media: Bougatsa;

Bougatsa (Greek: μπουγάτσα [buˈɣatsa]) is a Greek breakfast food (sweet or savoury), or mid-morning snack, or midday snack.^[1]^[2]^[3] Bougatsa has several versions with their own filling, with the most popular the bougatsa krema (bougatsa cream) that has semolina custard filling used as a sweet food and dessert.

Origin

The name comes from the Byzantine Greek πογάτσα (pogátsa), from the ancient Roman pānis focācius, literally "hearth bread"; cf. Italian focaccia.^[4] It may have had a classical origin in the Ancient Greek/Roman placenta cake. A similar dessert is still known as placenta (Greek: πλατσέντα) on the island of Lesbos in Greece.^[5]^[6] Placenta is a type of pancake, made from two layers of dough, usually filled with cottage cheese. Sometimes chocolate or apples are used instead. The cake is covered with honey, before being baked.^[7]

It originated in Northern Greece, in particular the city of Serres and city of Thessaloniki.^[8]^[9] Today, bougatsa can be found in Greece in specialty shops called bougatsadika or bougatsopolia, selling bougatsa exclusively.

The taste of bougatsa varies between regions of Greece. For example, bougatsa cream in Veria is very sweet and full of cream, while in Thessaloniki the bougatsa cream is crunchy and not that sweet, and in Chania Crete the bougatsa cheese is made of local mizithra cheese (not sweet) but sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.

Preparation

Preparation of custard bougatsa in an Athens cafe

Traditional Greek bougatsa is prepared from hand-made phyllo dough wrapped around a filling. After it is baked about 30–35 minutes in the oven, it is cut into small pieces and served hot on a small plate. The bougatsa cream is filled with semolina custard; it is then cut into small pieces and served hot, topped with lightly dusted powdered icing sugar and/or cinnamon. The bougatsa recipe parts are: preparing the custard filling; placing about 5 sheets of buttered phyllo pastry (also known as filo) in a baking dish; assembling the bougatsa; preheating the oven to the correct temperature and baking until the phyllo dough reaches the desired golden-brown crispness; cutting the bougatsa while still hot into small portions and serving.^[10]

Most modern bougatsa is made with machine-made phyllo, but some cafes and bakeries selling hand-made bougatsa still exist, especially in smaller towns and villages of Greece.

There are several bougatsa food versions which have their own filling, with the most known being:^[11]

Bougatsa cream,^[12]^[13]^[14] that has semolina custard, that is a sweet food and dessert
Bougatsa cheese,^[15]^[16] with feta cheese that is a savoury food
Bougatsa cheese,^[17] with mizithra cheese
Bougatsa chocolate cream,^[18]^[19]
Bougatsa apple,^[20]
Bougatsa potato purée
Bougatsa spinach
Bougatsa mix of spinach and feta cheese
Βougatsa minced meat,^[21] usually a mix of beef and pork or beef and lamb

In popular culture

The city of Serres achieved the record for the largest puff pastry on 1 June 2008. It weighed 182.2 kg (402 lb), was 20 metres (66 ft) long, and was made by more than 40 bakers.^[22]

The process of making bougatsa by hand-made filo was featured on an episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations filmed in Greece.^[23]^[24]

References

^ "Bougatsa". TasteAtlas. Archived from the original on 14 January 2024.
^ Nathanailidou, Anna (24 January 2024). "Recipe: Delicious Homemade Bougatsa". greece-is.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2024.
^ "History of taste: bougatsa (and recipe)" (in Greek). 21 October 2019. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023.
^ "History of bougatsa food". thessalonikiartsandculture.gr (in Greek). Archived from the original on 25 June 2023.
^ Triantafylli, Kiki (17 October 2015). "Placenta, from Agia Paraskevi of Lesvos" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 25 June 2023.
^ Giannetsou, Vasileia Louvari (2014). Sarakostiana: 50 recipes for Lent and its celebrations from Mamavasso (in Greek). Georges Yannetsos. p. 161. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022 – via Google Books. The placenta is like the placenta of the ancient Greeks, with nuts and honey.
^ Laurie, Liagre. "Bougatsa". 196flavors.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023.
^ Doriti, Carolina (22 July 2016). "CB on the Road: Thessaloniki's Infinitely Delicious Pie". culinarybackstreets.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.
^ "Bougatsa with cream or cheese: 5 recipes" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 23 September 2023.
^ "Traditional Greek Bougatsa Recipe: Crispy Phyllo Pastry with Custard Pie". greekfoodcentral.com. 25 September 2023. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.
^ Sklatinioti, Evi (17 January 2024). "7 unique recipes for homemade bougatsa (sweet and salty)" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 17 January 2024.
^ Bantis, Filippos. "Bougatsa with cream and crunchy handmade phyllo" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 11 March 2023.
^ "Thessaloniki Bougatsa (with ready-made dough)" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 21 February 2024.
^ "Bougatsa (Greek Cream-Filled Phyllo Pastries)". food.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023.
^ Bantis, Filippos. "Bougatsa with cheese by a bougatsa expert" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 11 March 2023.
^ "Bougatsa with cheese" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2 December 2022.
^ "Bougatsa with cream and mizithra cheese". cretangastronomy.gr (in Greek). 30 December 2012. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023.
^ "Bougatsa chocolate fasting" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.
^ "Bougatsa chocolate". cooktime.gr (in Greek). Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.
^ "Chef on Air on Sky TV: Bougatsa apple with raisins". chefonair.gr (in Greek). Chef on Air. 17 November 2016. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023.
^ "Bougatsa with minced meat" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 1 December 2023.
^ "Guinness World Records: Largest bougatsa on 1 June 2008". guinnessworldrecords.com. Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.
^ "Anthony Bourdain: Greek Islands, Episode aired 28 January 2008". IMDb. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.
^ "Anthony Bourdain in Greece: The Complete Country Guide". eatlikebourdain.com. 10 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023.

[1] "Bougatsa". TasteAtlas. Archived from the original on 14 January 2024.

[2] Nathanailidou, Anna (24 January 2024). "Recipe: Delicious Homemade Bougatsa". greece-is.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2024.

[3] "History of taste: bougatsa (and recipe)" (in Greek). 21 October 2019. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023.

[4] "History of bougatsa food". thessalonikiartsandculture.gr (in Greek). Archived from the original on 25 June 2023.

[5] Triantafylli, Kiki (17 October 2015). "Placenta, from Agia Paraskevi of Lesvos" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 25 June 2023.

[6] Giannetsou, Vasileia Louvari (2014). Sarakostiana: 50 recipes for Lent and its celebrations from Mamavasso (in Greek). Georges Yannetsos. p. 161. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022 – via Google Books. The placenta is like the placenta of the ancient Greeks, with nuts and honey.

[7] Laurie, Liagre. "Bougatsa". 196flavors.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023.

[8] Doriti, Carolina (22 July 2016). "CB on the Road: Thessaloniki's Infinitely Delicious Pie". culinarybackstreets.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.

[9] "Bougatsa with cream or cheese: 5 recipes" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 23 September 2023.

[10] "Traditional Greek Bougatsa Recipe: Crispy Phyllo Pastry with Custard Pie". greekfoodcentral.com. 25 September 2023. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.

[11] Sklatinioti, Evi (17 January 2024). "7 unique recipes for homemade bougatsa (sweet and salty)" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 17 January 2024.

[12] Bantis, Filippos. "Bougatsa with cream and crunchy handmade phyllo" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 11 March 2023.

[13] "Thessaloniki Bougatsa (with ready-made dough)" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 21 February 2024.

[14] "Bougatsa (Greek Cream-Filled Phyllo Pastries)". food.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023.

[15] Bantis, Filippos. "Bougatsa with cheese by a bougatsa expert" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 11 March 2023.

[16] "Bougatsa with cheese" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 2 December 2022.

[17] "Bougatsa with cream and mizithra cheese". cretangastronomy.gr (in Greek). 30 December 2012. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023.

[18] "Bougatsa chocolate fasting" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.

[19] "Bougatsa chocolate". cooktime.gr (in Greek). Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.

[20] "Chef on Air on Sky TV: Bougatsa apple with raisins". chefonair.gr (in Greek). Chef on Air. 17 November 2016. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023.

[21] "Bougatsa with minced meat" (in Greek). Archived from the original on 1 December 2023.

[22] "Guinness World Records: Largest bougatsa on 1 June 2008". guinnessworldrecords.com. Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.

[23] "Anthony Bourdain: Greek Islands, Episode aired 28 January 2008". IMDb. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024.

[24] "Anthony Bourdain in Greece: The Complete Country Guide". eatlikebourdain.com. 10 November 2023. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023.

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Bougatsa

Origin

Preparation

In popular culture

See also

References

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