Janni Kyritsis’ Galaktoboureko & Orange Salad

(Serves Six)

Galaktoboureko is a Greek custard pie made with filo pastry, egg and semolina custard doused with sugar syrup. In the restaurant we use our own filo pastry, but you can easily use commercial filo instead, you simply use double the quantity because is much thinner than the hand made one.

Custard 2 cups milk 2 small eggs ½ cup Sugar ¼ cup fine Semolina 30g Butter

Bring milk & half the sugar to boil in a saucepan. Rain semolina onto the hot milk & bring to the boil again. Whisk eggs and remaining sugar. Add hot milk & semolina mixture on to the eggs, add butter and stir well. Pour into a buttered rectangular ramekin (small enough that the mixture will be 1 – 1 ½ inches in height in the dish) Cook at 165C for 30-40 minutes with a tray on top of the ramekin to avoid skin forming. Cool. When cold turn the custard out and cut into 6 large fingers.

Almond Mixture ½ cup Roasted Almonds 1 Tblsp Icing Sugar Pinch of Cinnamon

Chop almonds finely and mix with sugar & cinnamon.

Lemon Sugar Syrup Bring 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of water, and the zest of one lemon to boil and keep aside.

Orange Salad

12 Oranges 6 Leaves of Mint 6 Dates 6 Tblsp Mixed Candied Citrus Fruits 2 Tblsp Lemon Sugar Syrup Drops of Orange Flower Water to taste Sugar Cinnamon

Peel skin from oranges, remove outer membrane & put clean segments into a bowl then squeeze the pulp reserving all the juice with them. Pour lemon sugar syrup & drops of orange flower water over the oranges. Stone dates, cut into matchsticks and roll in sugar. Slice mint leaves finely.

Filo Pastry

Method: Cut the filo pastry into 6 x 12 inch long pieces. Brush generously with melted butter & sprinkle with almond mixture. On each sheet place one finger of custard and roll into tubes – 6. Brush with butter again, sprinkle with more almond mixture and then bake at 200 degrees for 10 – 12 minutes. Place in warm lemon sugar syrup straight out of the oven for ½ minute before serving.

To Serve the Galaktoboureko

Place oranges & juice onto 6 plates. Sprinkle with candied fruit, mint leaves, sugared dates, pistachio nuts & cinnamon Cut hot Galaktoboureko in half and place on top.