Traditional Galatopita of Messinia

Galatopita is a wonderful traditional sweet that many believe is a Easter dessert. However, it has become so beloved and easy to make that many of us enjoy it on a daily basis, as a simple dessert for Sunday tables. It’s particularly popular among younger family members, aged six to eight, who, along with crème caramel and classic chocolate mousse—both of which are irresistible—hold the top spots in our family preferences even today!

Every Easter during my childhood, my grandmother, who was a true Messinian from Kyparissia, would bring us galatopita. Her version was always without a crust, although you can also find galatopita with a bottom crust or even with crusts on both top and bottom, with many variations depending on the region and the cook. The flavors of milk, butter, and vanilla, along with this cream that melts sweetly in the mouth—so reminiscent of the cream found in galaktoboureko—have stayed with me as cherished childhood tastes.

The recipe relies on the best milk you can find—preferably goat’s milk—for an authentic traditional flavor!

Back when Grandma Olga made galatopita for us in Athens, there were still milkmen delivering fresh milk in glass returnable bottles from the small dairy farmers of the time, who distributed it every morning to households.

Times have changed, and many of those old flavors have faded, but I believe that using a packaged goat’s milk today will yield excellent results!

Another key ingredient is the butter. The better the butter, the better the flavor will be, so go for the best quality you can find, even if it’s a bit pricier.

Ingredients

• 1200 ml goat’s milk
  
  
• 100 g butter + a bit for greasing the baking dish
  
  
• 200 g sugar
  
  
• 100 g fine semolina + a bit for the baking dish
  
  
• 30 g corn flour
  
  
• 3 eggs
  
  
• 2 vanilla pods or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
  
• 1 tsp salt

For the Topping Before Baking

• 1 egg
  
  
• 2 tbsp water
  
  
• 4 tbsp sugar

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) on conventional settings; you may want to try it on convection, depending on your oven.
In a bowl, combine the eggs, semolina, corn flour, salt, and vanilla. Mix well with a whisk or a hand mixer.
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and milk over medium heat until it reaches a boil.
Once the milk boils, gradually add it to the egg mixture, stirring continuously with the whisk. Finally, transfer the entire mixture back to the saucepan and stir continuously until the cream thickens.
Remove from heat, add the butter, and stir until it melts.
Generously butter a baking dish and sprinkle with semolina, shaking it around to cover the entire buttered surface, just like you would do for cake pans.
Pour the cream mixture into the baking dish and smooth the surface with a spoon.
Beat the egg with a little water and brush it over the surface of the pie.
Evenly sprinkle the four tablespoons of sugar on top.
Bake for about 40 minutes, depending on the strength of your oven.
Remove from the oven and allow it to cool and set for about two hours before serving.

Serving Suggestions
Serve the galatopita warm or at room temperature. You can dust it with powdered sugar or serve it with good thyme honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon for an Eastern aroma. Personally, I enjoy it slightly warm and plain, savoring the flavors of butter and milk, but it’s also delightful with a little powdered sugar and cinnamon, resembling a bougatsa.

Source:Traditional Galatopita