Greek Cakes

1. Ghalatoboureko

Custard Semolina Pie

Ingredients

6 eggs

185gms (6oz) sugar

1 1/2 cups (80z) semolina

7 cups (1.75 litres) milk

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

60 gms (2oz) butter

3/4 cup (6oz) melted butter

16 filo pastry sheets

 

Syrup:

500 gms (1lb) sugar

1 cup (8fl oz) water

lemon juice of one lemon
  1. Preheat the oven to about 180oC (350oF)
  2. Cream the eggs and sugar together until thick.
  3. Add semolina, milk and lemon peel.
  4. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in 60gms butter.
  6. With some melted butter, brush the inside of the baking tin.
  7. On the bottom and up the sides of the dish, place 8 sheets of filo pastry, each sheet generously brushed with melted butter before the next is placed.
  8. Spoon the mixture into this and fold the edges of the filo pastry over at the top.
  9. Cover the mixture with the remaining 8 sheets of filo pastry, each in turn, as well as the top, well brushed with melted butter.
  10. Tuck the edges of the covering filo sheets around the inside edges of the pan.
  11. With a sharp knife, cut through the top 3 sheets in parallel lines forming 7.5 cm (3in) squares.
  12. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Allow to cool.
  13. To prepare the syrup, combine all the ingredients, heat, and stir to dissolve sugar.
  14. Bring to boil and boil for 5 to 8 minutes.
  15. Cool and pour lukewarm syrup over the pie.
  16. Serve cold, cut into squares.

17. Then eat as much as your heart desires.

2.Baklava

A dessert with layers of paper thin pastry sheets, ground nuts soaked in a honey syrup. Can you resist.

Ingredients

SYRUP

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine nuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Keeping unused sheets covered with plastic wrap, place 8 sheets of phyllo pastry, one at a time, in bottom of an 8 x 14 x 2-inch pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Sprinkle top sheet generously with 150gms nut mixture and cover with 2 buttered filo sheets. Sprinkle with 100gms cup nut mixture. Continue adding buttered filo sheets, sprinkling every second sheet with nut mixture, until all nut mixture is used. Place remaining filo sheets on top, buttering each sheet.

Cut Baklava into small diamond-shaped pieces with a sharp knife. Place a pan of water on the lowest shelf in oven. Place Baklava on middle shelf above the water and bake for 2 to 21/2 hours, or until golden, making sure that the water pan is always full.

While Baklava is in the oven, prepare the syrup:

Combine in a saucepan, water with all ingredients except honey. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add honey, and simmer 5 minutes more. Remove lemon peel and cool.

Remove Baklava from oven and pour cool syrup over hot pastry.