It’s nearly time for Easter and I'm getting ready to make and celebrate with both savory and sweet treats . . . and I sure hope you are too!
Here in Greece, after fasting from animal products many families make some luxurious dessert with eggs, butter and milk or cream for this special holiday! In my late husband’s family it was all about a creamy baked custard pie that was made with phyllo dough and semolina and topped with a cinnamon sugar coating that everybody loved!
Here is my version of the recipe that I like to serve with fresh strawberries that I mix with a bit of warm strawberry marmalade . . . just enough to coat the berries and to make the mixture spreadable. Hope you'll like it as much as I do!
Milk Pie Recipe
Ingredients
6 Phyllo pastry sheets
50g melted unsalted butter
Filling
3 cups milk
1 tblsp unsalted butter
3 tblsp corn starch
1 tblsp all purpose flour
4 tblsp sugar
1 tsp. vanilla essence
3 – 4 large eggs
¼ cup sugar + 1 tsp. cinnamon - mixed
Preparation Method
Make filling first.
Place 2 ½ cups of milk and butter in a pot and heat until butter has melted. Do not boil. Mix corn starch, flour, sugar to a paste with ½ cup of milk. Stir this mixture carefully into heated milk.
Bring mixture to boil over low heat, stirring constantly to avoid lumps forming. When bubbles start forming, the mixture should be quite thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla essence. Set aside to cool somewhat.
In an electric mixer, beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Carefully, fold into cooled milk mixture.
Prepare pastry in round baking tin. Line a baking tin with the 6 phyllo pastry sheets, brushing each sheet with melted butter. If you like, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon sugar between the 2nd and 3rd sheet and also between the 5th and 6th sheet.
Pour filling evenly into prepared baking tin with pastry sheets. Place in pre-heated oven 175 C (350 F) for about 20 - 25 minutes or until the top is light brown and the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
Once baked, if you like, sprinkle top with some cinnamon sugar and serve warm with berry compote or berry sauce and fresh berries.
The easy2make strawberry topping you see in the photos was made with freshly quartered strawberries that I mixed with a little ready bought strawberry jam that is warmed up to make it spreadable and easy to mix with the strawberries.
The amount of strawberries and jam you use as a topping will depend on your taste but keep it mind that you can also, if you prefer, serve separately . . . to the side.
Yield: 6 - 8 servings
Tips!
If you like you can easily add to the custard filling, a bit of lemon or orange zest, to taste!
This milk pie can be made in advance and re-heated before serving.
It is always best when eaten on the same day as it is made and if it is not a very warm day, keep it at room temperature until ready to use.
You can freeze this pie but I don't recommend it . . . as it never as good as fresh!
Last but not least, this delicious milk pie pudding/dessert can be made without the phyllo dough that kids, as well as some adults may prefer!
It can be sprinkled with cinnamon sugar that caramelizes when baked and for something even more luscious . . . . try it topped with caramelized apple or pear slices.
©KaritasM – April 2021
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