Bougatsa Explained

Bougatsa
Country:Greece
Type:Pastry
Main Ingredient:Phyllo
filling of semolina custard or feta cheese or other

Bougatsa (in Greek, Modern (1453-); pronounced as /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 Greek, Modern (1453-);: 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, Modern (1453-);: 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

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]

In popular culture

The city of Serres achieved the record for the largest puff pastry on 1 June 2008. It weighed, was 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 filmed in Greece.[23] [24]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bougatsa . . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240114185448/https://www.tasteatlas.com/bougatsa . 14 January 2024.
  2. Web site: Recipe: Delicious Homemade Bougatsa . Anna. Nathanailidou . greece-is.com . 24 January 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240218214451/https://www.greece-is.com/recipe-the-delicious-homemade-bougatsa/ . 18 February 2024.
  3. Web site: History of taste: bougatsa (and recipe) . 21 October 2019 . el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230621131416/https://www.olivemagazine.gr/guest-editors/istoria-tis-gefsis-bougatsa-syntagi/ . 21 June 2023.
  4. Web site: History of bougatsa food. thessalonikiartsandculture.gr. el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230625230407/https://www.thessalonikiartsandculture.gr/blog/texnopersona/i-istoria-tis-bougatsas/. 25 June 2023.
  5. Web site: Placenta, from Agia Paraskevi of Lesvos. Triantafylli. Kiki. 17 October 2015. el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230625225946/http://www.bostanistas.gr/?i=bostanistas.el.article&id=3528 . 25 June 2023.
  6. Book: Giannetsou, Vasileia Louvari . Sarakostiana: 50 recipes for Lent and its celebrations from Mamavasso . 2014 . Georges Yannetsos . el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20221215183407/https://books.google.com/books?id=5U0iAwAAQBAJ . 15 December 2022. . 161. The placenta is like the placenta of the ancient Greeks, with nuts and honey..
  7. Web site: Bougatsa. Laurie . Liagre . 196flavors.com. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230708175925/https://www.196flavors.com/bougatsa/. 8 July 2023.
  8. Web site: CB on the Road: Thessaloniki's Infinitely Delicious Pie . Doriti. Carolina . culinarybackstreets.com . 22 July 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240312162635/https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/athens/2021/cb-on-the-road-59/ . 12 March 2024.
  9. Web site: Bougatsa with cream or cheese: 5 recipes. el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230923214926/https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntages/mpoygatsa-me-krema-i-me-tyri-7-syntages-gia-anapofasistoys/132254/. 23 September 2023.
  10. Web site: Traditional Greek Bougatsa Recipe: Crispy Phyllo Pastry with Custard Pie . greekfoodcentral.com. 25 September 2023 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240312171156/https://greekfoodcentral.com/by-course/desserts/bougatsa-creamy-greek-custard-pie/ . 12 March 2024.
  11. Web site: 7 unique recipes for homemade bougatsa (sweet and salty). Sklatinioti . Evi . el . 17 January 2024 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240117174444/https://www.olivemagazine.gr/chrisima/themata-chrisima/7-monadikes-syntages-gia-spitiki-bougatsa-glykia-kai-almyri/. 17 January 2024.
  12. Web site: Bougatsa with cream and crunchy handmade phyllo . Bantis . Filippos . el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230311045731/https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/mpoygatsa-me-krema-2/190250/. 11 March 2023.
  13. Web site: Thessaloniki Bougatsa (with ready-made dough) . el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240221231754/https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/mpoygatsa-thessalonikis-me-etoimo-fyllo/156930/. 21 February 2024.
  14. Web site: Bougatsa (Greek Cream-Filled Phyllo Pastries) . food.com. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231001094459/https://www.food.com/recipe/bougatsa-greek-cream-filled-phyllo-pastries-70884 . 1 October 2023.
  15. Web site: Bougatsa with cheese by a bougatsa expert. Bantis . Filippos. el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230311045727/https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/mpoygatsa-me-tyri-2/190256/ . 11 March 2023.
  16. Web site: Bougatsa with cheese. el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20221202052612/https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/mpoygatsa-me-tyri/156937/ . 2 December 2022.
  17. Web site: Bougatsa with cream and mizithra cheese . cretangastronomy.gr. el . 30 December 2012 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230602021823/https://www.cretangastronomy.gr/2012/12/bougatsa-krema-mizithra/ . 2 June 2023.
  18. Web site: Bougatsa chocolate fasting . el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240312155924/https://www.olivemagazine.gr/recipe/bougatsa-sokolatas-nistisimi/. 12 March 2024.
  19. Web site: Bougatsa chocolate . cooktime.gr. el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240312160433/https://cooktime.gr/r/53639143/μπουγατσα_με_σοκολατα_ευκολη_νοστιμη_αφρατη_/ . 12 March 2024.
  20. Web site: Chef on Air on Sky TV: Bougatsa apple with raisins. Chef on Air . chefonair.gr . el. 17 November 2016 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230323083739/https://chefonair.gr/syntages/mpougatsa-milo-stafides/ . 23 March 2023.
  21. Web site: Bougatsa with minced meat. el. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231201140439/https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/mpoygatsa-me-kima-anameikto/190261/ . 1 December 2023.
  22. Web site: Guinness World Records: Largest bougatsa on 1 June 2008. guinnessworldrecords.com . . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240312150054/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-bougatsa/. 12 March 2024.
  23. Web site: Anthony Bourdain: Greek Islands, Episode aired 28 January 2008. IMDb. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20240312163706/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1189463/?ref_=ttep_ep4 . 12 March 2024.
  24. Web site: Anthony Bourdain in Greece: The Complete Country Guide . eatlikebourdain.com . 10 November 2023. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230925122813/https://eatlikebourdain.com/anthony-bourdain-in-greece/ . 25 September 2023.

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