The history of the Bougatsa

Like many other Greek specialities, bougatsa has a long history, in this case going all the way back to Byzantine times. Bougatsa is mainly a savoury breakfast made of filo pastry, flour, soft butter and oil, which requires great skill to prepare. This pasty is made all over Greece, but those made in northern Greece, especially from Thessaloniki and Serres, are famous. The traditional recipe can be filled with feta or cream sprinkled with cinnamon and icing sugar. Other common savoury versions are stuffed with spinach and feta or with minced meat (usually a mix of beef and pork or beef and lamb). Anyone walking the streets of Thessaloniki cannot avoid the enticing smell of freshly baked bougatsa, which seems to come from all directions. The variant bougatsa is different from the regular tyropitas or spanakopitas that are made of puff pastry (sfoliata) or filo pastry. In Thessaloniki, they use a special draft dough that makes this bougatsa unique. This filo dough provides an extra crispy exterior with a delicate flavour. The bougatsa from Thessaloniki is a unique product that we definitely recommend trying.

How to serve

Greeks nowadays eat bougatsa all day long, but there is a difference in each type of bougatsa here. The variants with feta, minced meat or spinach & feta are mostly seen as breakfast, lunch, snack or as an appetiser. The variant with cream topped with cinnamon and/or icing sugar is seen more as a dessert. The bougatsa is the perfect snack for any time of the day, great for sharing with the whole family or friends. How to prepare the bougatsa can be found on our recipe page, but also watch the short video on our social media.