Bougatsa 

(Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie)

This is a throwback to: the dessert featured in my last post, Bougatsa (Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie). The Bougatsa and Scratch Made Phyllo Dough recipes are from Kouzounas Kitchen, while the filling is from the Tamriye recipe of Anissa Helou's Sweet Middle East. (For more details, please see the last post.) I took this pic the day after baking. Although this piece was slightly singed from the toaster oven reheating process, I think it shows off the finished product much better! 

Kouzounas Kitchen, Scratch-Made Phyllo Dough

Kouzounas Kitchen, Bougatsa (Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie)

Bougatsa 

(Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie)

I made this using Kouzounas Kitchen's Scratch-Made Phyllo Dough! The filling is the filling for Tamriye (Arabic Semolina Cream Hand Pies), from Sweet Middle East by Anissa Helou. It's a funny story how that happened, actually ... 

I decided that the Tamriye filling by itself would be delicious. (The recipe calls for store-bought puff pastry, which is too rich for me to eat.) The filling smelled so good, with rosewater, but then was very creamy ... too much so to make individual pastries with phyllo, say. (Maybe I used the wrong kind of semolina? I used semolina flour instead of the farina that's like Cream of Wheat.)

Somehow, I came up with the idea of using it as filling in Bougatsa. This would be the perfect occasion to try this Phyllo Dough recipe again! I also used Kouzounas Kitchen's Bougatsa recipe, with this filling instead. At the end, I sprinkled on some ground cinnamon. ... I think this may be breakfast. 

Kouzounas Kitchen Website, Scratch-Made Phyllo Dough

Kouzounas Kitchen Website, Bougatsa (Greek Sweet Custard Phyllo Pie)

Savory Phyllo Turnovers 

Filled with Hummus

The Phyllo recipe is courtesy of Kouzounas Kitchen. You can see my recent posts for more info on homemade Phyllo and the homemade Hummus. I had leftover Phyllo dough, and didn't want to waste it. I also had leftover Hummus. I thought, What better way to use both, than to combine them in a pastry? These turnovers make a nice snack or light meal.

Kouzounas Kitchen Website, Scratch Made Phyllo Dough

Hortopitakia (Greek Savory Turnovers with Spinach & Herbs),

with Homemade Phyllo Dough

Throwback to: these savory spinach turnovers, based on the recipes of Kouzounas Kitchen. For more details, please see my recent post. That pic was taken with my phone, right after baking. This one was taken the next day, with my camera. The spinach filling was so good! I'll have to try these turnovers again.

Kouzounas Kitchen Facebook

Kouzounas Kitchen Website, Hortopitakia: Savory Turnovers with Spinach & Herbs

Hortopitakia (Greek Savory Turnovers with Spinach & Herbs),

with Homemade Phyllo Dough

Both of these recipes are courtesy of Kouzouna's Kitchen. The shape was supposed to be more like half-moons, but at least they didn't fall apart, and were yummy from the filling. I fried them in a pan, with more oil than I would usually use, but not too much.

For the filling, I used leftover chopped spinach and kale, already cooked with some onion, and later frozen. I cooked another whole chopped onion according to the directions, added the greens, and then some salt, cumin, and Italian seasoning. (Use what you have, they say.)

I made the phyllo dough on Saturday, according to the directions, in a stand-mixer, and put it in the fridge to sit overnight. It ended up that I didn't get a chance to use it until yesterday. Somehow, the dough was very sticky -- but that's what flour is for. The main problem was, it was still fairly elastic. After thinking about it, I wonder if the vinegar used to "relax" the dough, was too old.

Kouzouna's Kitchen Website, Hortopitakia: Savory Turnovers with Spinach & Herbs

Kouzouna's Kitchen Website, Scratch Made Phyllo Dough