bougatsa (Greek custard pie)

Although I do have a penchant for the complex and the sublime sometimes it is practical, indeed it is necessary, to bow to simplicity.  And this sweet, vanilla custard pie duly pays homage to the very essence of simplicity.  My fellow bibliophiliacs aka the brown paper bag book clubbers enjoyed this pie as we discussed Fforde's Shades of Grey.  As my dear friend Sally knows I didn't enjoy the book but I did the bougatsa!

This recipe is adapted from one given to me by Maria, a family friend from Sydney.

150g unsalted butter
1 packet of  fillo pastry
1 tin of evapourated milk + enough full cream milk to make 2.5 cups
4 eggs
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 sachet vanilla sugar from continental delis)
icing sugar
cinnamon powder

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Line a baking dish (approx 30 x 22 cm) with melted butter.  Scrunch up all the pastry sheets individually and place in one layer on baking dish.  Melt butter and pour it over the pastry.  Place dish in oven and cook till pastry is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes.

Bougatsa is in the background alongside the lilac

In the meantime, use an electric mixer to beat the milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla till light and frothy.  Reduce oven temperature to 180 degrees.  Pour mixture over hot pastry and return to oven.  Bake for 30mins till custard has set.  Sprinkle magnaminiously with icing sugar and cinnamon whilst still hot.  Serve cut into squares warm or cold.