Some of the most beloved Greek pastries are these delicious filo rolls filled with creamy custard. They are called sweet bougatsa and are typically sold in neighborhood bakeries and little specialty stores devoted to this pastry all over Greece. In this version, orange-infused custard is enclosed in layers of crispy, flaky filo dough and baked until golden brown. Once out of the oven, they are sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
One of the first posts that I wrote on my blog, back in 2016 when I started it, was a version of this recipe in the form of a custard filo pie baked in a pan and then cut into small squares. Today I am sharing with you the portable version of this pastry – little filo packages filled with orange-infused semolina custard. They can be enjoyed at breakfast time, for brunch, or, as the sweet end to a delicious meal!
The Filling:
The traditional filling for these filo rolls is a creamy semolina custard. In order to achieve a nice and smooth consistency, I use fine semolina, the kind of durum wheat that is used for fresh pasta. As far as the milk for the custard, I use 2% fat content with great results. The custard can be infused with citrus flavor (in this recipe I use orange zest) and, of course, some vanilla extract is always added at the end.
The Filo Pastry and Working with Filo:
Filo has the undeserved reputation of being finicky and hard to work with. Many recipes warn us about the dangers of filo being too delicate to handle and tearing too easily or drying out too fast. These are myths, however, as I am here to tell you that a little tear here and there will never affect the end result, and, all you have to do to prevent filo from drying is to cover it with a clean cloth while you work with it. In addition, using good quality filo will make a big difference and will be much easier to work with.
The ingredients:
Making the Filo Rolls – Step by Step Photos:
Once the custard is done, the filling and the rolling are very easy. The process does take some time, but there is nothing difficult about it and it is absolutely worth it! If pressed for time, you can prepare only a few bougatsa rolls at a time and reserve the rest of the filling and the filo dough for later in the week. I often prepare the whole recipe and bake only the ones I need. The rest can go straight to the freezer and be baked frozen when needed!
Serve these filo packages while they are still warm, with a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar and cinnamon. If you feel indulgent, you can also drizzle them with some melted chocolate – perfect for Valentine’s day!
- For the Filo Rolls:
- 4 cups whole milk (I use 2%)
- --- zest of one medium orange
- ¼ cup butter
- ⅔ cup fine semolina
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract (or vanilla paste)
- 2 lrg. eggs
- 2 lrg. egg yolks
- 1 lb. filo dough, defrosted overnight (I use Organic Fillo Factory)
- --- --- melted butter (for brushing on the filo)
- For the Topping:
- --- --- Confectioner's sugar
- --- --- ground cinnamon
- Warm the milk in a saucepan and add the orange zest. Bring to a simmer and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium pot. Stir in the semolina and mix with a wooden spoon until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the orange-infused hot milk, mixing well until thoroughly blended. Next, add the sugar and stir well until the mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat. Off heat, stir the mixture occasionally to keep the custard from forming a skin. Allow the custard to cool slightly.
- Beat the eggs and egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Add to the pot and mix well to combine – the mixture should have the consistency of a pudding. Cover well with plastic wrap and set the mixture aside until ready to use (at this point you can refrigerate it for up to four days for later use).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Open the box of filo and unwrap the sheets. Place on a work surface and cut the whole stack of filo sheets in half so that you are left with rectangular pieces, which measure approximately 9 x 13 inches.
- Lay 3 sheets of filo one on top of each other, brushing melted butter between each sheet. As you lay the sheets down, keep the shorter end facing you. Then, place about ⅓ cup of the custard mixture in the bottom center of the filo stack, approximately 1.5” from the edges. Fold the bottom edge of the filo over the custard and then fold in each of the sides, so the custard is fully covered by the filo. Flip the filo and custard over and away from you and brush the top with a little melted butter. Continue folding the strip of filo until you reach the end of your rectangle. At this point, tuck the end piece under the rest of the rolled filo and brush the top with butter. With the help of a spatula, transfer the filo roll to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have filled as many rolls as you want.
- Bake in middle rack of the oven for approximately 12-15 minutes or until light, golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly on a baking rack. Dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar and enjoy while still a little warm.
Filo rolls filled with creamy custard and a light drizzle of chocolate make the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day!
This recipe is a collaboration with the Fillo Factory, a company that makes great quality organic filo pastry and puff pastry, among many other products.
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I have wondered how to make semolina custard and now I know. Thanks Marilena-these look delicious!
Thank you Kathe! Semolina custard is so easy to make and really delicious – I hope you give it a try!
Marilena!! Bougatsa is my FAVORITE!! I had it in Thessaloniki and became obsessed… had it every morning. Sooooo good.
Aww, thank you so much Ali! Bougatsa is such a treat to have – the smell and the flavor of it always brings me back to Greece!
Marilena, I can almost taste these!! I remember having them in Greece, fresh from the oven in a pastry shop, and they were to die for! Thank you so much for the recipe, and for the beautiful and helpful photos! You are chipping away at my fear of phyllo, one dish at a time…..
– Ratatouille
I am sure you can almost taste them, Dianne…. I remember very well how much we both enjoyed our bougatses from my neighborhood bakery in Athens – what a treat they are! Now you know how easy it is to make them at home!
These fillo rolls are wonderfully simple to make but make for a rich and satisfying dessert. Bougatsa is a classic dish that is so common in Greece and they’re easy to make at home!
Thank you so much Nick for your comment! Yes, Bougatsa is such a treat to enjoy and really simple to prepare!
When I made this the custard was very lumpy. Did I add the milk too quickly? Then on cooling it became very thin.
I strained, reheated and thickened the custard but would love to know where I went wrong.
BUT even though I had a few issues this was delicious and I’ll try it again. Thank you for the wonderful recipe all the family loved it
That’s unusual…. I hope you used the thin semolina that the recipe calls for. Yes, the milk needs to be added gradually and you will need to keep stirring… Do not rush it, it will thicken – you want to achieve a “pourable” consistancy before you add the eggs! I hope you give it another try, so glad to know that the family loved it!
Hi Marilena,
Instead of orange zest could you use orange essence?
Yes, of course you can1