Bougatsa (traditional custard cream pastry) in Heraklion is an experience in its own right; it’s the first morning habit when you get off the ship, but also the perfect break from work, and a great snack anytime of the day. It seems like a tradition that passes from one generation to the next and also from one visitor to the next.
Bougatsa is a major part of Heraklion’s culinary tradition, having arrived from Asia Minor in 1922, when each household carried it along with things that mattered most to them, including favourite flavors and aromas, one of them being bougatsa. It is said that the idea behind it came from Byzantium, and more particularly from Constantinople, that had a long tradition in pan sweets and pies. Bougatsa is one of those pies that continues to this day being a top culinary product. According to a travelogue by travel writer Evliya Çelebi, between the 16th and 17th centuries, there were two bakeries in Constantinople which made bougatsa, serving it sprinkled with icing sugar. Today, the traditional recipe also includes cinnamon. One distinctive difference from other pies is that its stuffing is almost sealed in the filo. Another difference is that the filo is not spread with flour and a rolling pin, but with oil and soft vegetable butter. In Constantinople, this pie was called ‘pogatsa’ or ‘bogatsa’ by the Greeks and ‘bougkatsa’ by the Turks.
In Greece, it is popular all over, from Northern Greece to Epirus and from the Peloponnese to Crete. However, as a large number of immigrants from Asia Minor settled in Serres, bougatsa has become known as a Serres sweet.
In northern Greece, you usually order “one with cheese” or “one with cream” and it is a very popular snack, served in bite-sized pieces. In addition, it’s sold by weight, one serving is about 160g. Apart from the two most popular flavours, there’s also bougatsa with minced beef, spinach, and also plain, with no stuffing, usually served sprinkled with caster sugar.
In the south of Greece, things are a bit different, when they speak of bougatsa they exclusively mean the sweet version with custard cream, icing sugar and cinnamon. And bougatsa is sold by the piece. In Turkey, bogatsa (Turk bogaca) usually has less stuffing than the Greek version.
In Heraklion, it is customary to welcome the new year with a bougatsa, hoping that it will be sweet, bringing happy news.
Read also:
Heraklion: The Venetian heritage, the Minoan palaces, and a mini guide to have the best time
Asterousia: The unknown mountain range of Crete
Agios Nikolaos, cosmopolitan Cretan destination
