Try this Greek dessert that's a taste of Greece in every bite!

GALAKTOBOUREKO

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS:

Syrup

¾ cup sugar

¼ of a lemon

Custard

2 1/3 cups half & half, divided use

½ cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

2 eggs

1/4 cup farina or Cream of Wheat cereal

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon orange zest

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

6 tablespoons of butter, preferably browned

7 pieces phyllo sheets

HOW TO MAKE:

Preheat the oven to 375°F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.  Spray a 9-inch cake pan with pan spray.

In a small stainless-steel pot, combine the sugar for the syrup with 1/2 cup and 1 1/2 tablespoons water.  Squeeze 1 teaspoon of lemon juice out of the quarter of lemon.  Add the juice and the lemon wedge into the pot.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Boil the syrup for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thick.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.  Once the syrup is room temperature, remove the piece of lemon.  The syrup can be made up to a week in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.

To prepare the pie, split open the vanilla bean, scrape out the insides.  Place it in a pot, add 2 cups of the half & half and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, turn off the heat, whisk in the salt, orange and lemon zest and allow the half & half to cool. 

Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and beat until foamy.  Once foamy, slowly add the sugar.  Whisk in the farina and then the milk. 

Transfer the mixture to a clean pot and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, just until slightly thickened, like porridge.  Set aside.

If your butter is firm, place it in a small bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until melted.

Place one piece of phyllo into the bottom of the cake pan, lined up at twelve and six o’clock in the pan.  Use a pastry brush to coat it with butter. Place the second layer of phyllo down at two and seven o clock.  Repeat these steps with 3 more layers, rotating the phyllo layers to make sure that the entire pan is covered.   

Whisk the final 1/3 cup of half & half into the custard to loosen the mixture and pour it into the pan.  Fold all the overhanging pieces of phyllo on top of the custard, brushing each one with butter as you lay it down.  Cut the final two pieces of phyllo in half.  Brush each piece with butter and lay them on top of the pie by scrunching them up like pieces of tissue.

Using a sharp paring knife, cut the pie into 12 pieces.  Do not cut all the way through, only cut the top pieces of phyllo so the syrup can soak in. Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Remove from the oven, and immediately pour the syrup on top of the pie.  Cool at room temperature for several hours before cutting.  Cut and serve.

Leftovers can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

*Recipe courtesy of Marisa Churchill