Sweet milky pie (Galaktoboureko)

Sweet milky pie (Galaktoboureko)
3.8/5 rating (65 votes)

  • Serves: 12
  • Complexity: medium

Ingredients

  • phyllo dough: 20 sheets
  • eggs: 4 yolks
  • milk: 3 cups
  • cornstarch (or rice flour): 5 tablespoons
  • sugar: 3 tablespoons
  • vanilla essence: a bit
  • butter: 230g, melted
  • For the syrup
  • sugar: 1½ cup
  • water: ½ cup
  • lemon juice: 2 tablespoons
  • rose water or cinnamon (optional)

Directions

  1. Beat the egg yolks until they go white. In a pot, mix two tablespoons of milk with the cornstarch until it becomes a paste and then add the egg yolks and mix well. Add a bit more milk and beat until you get a thick creamy consistency.

  2. Heat the remaining milk with the sugar until it comes to a boil and then remove from the heat. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture stirring constantly. Put this mixture on the heat and bind the cream. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and stir well.

  3. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a baking dish and line with half the phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with butter. Pour in the cream. Cover with the remaining dough, buttering each sheet.

  4. To prepare the syrup, dissolve the sugar in the water and simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Allow to cool and add some rose water or cinnamon (optional).

  5. Score the top of the dessert with a sharp knife. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is brown. Take out of the oven and while still hot pour the cool syrup over it.

Tips

One of the best sweets of greek traditional gastronomy, galaktompoureko uses milk (“gala” in greek language) to make a creamy filling. Mothers make it, grandmas make it, now its your turn… And remember: practise makes perfect.

Tags

milk, pie