Vegan galaktoboureko

As far as Greek filo desserts go, galaktoboureko is high on the list of great ones! This classic Greek recipe typically calls for a cream made with milk and semolina but well-known Athens vegan chef Nikos Gaitanos, a guest on My Greek Table, created this vegan galaktoboureko which is absolutely delish.

Credit: My Greek Table

• serves

  10

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

He surprised me with his use of melon in the filling. Needless to say, extra virgin Greek olive oil replaces the traditional use of butter in the classic, and the simple sugar syrup gets a twist with some cardamom and ginger. You’ll love it, I promise!

Ingredients

• ½ ripe honeydew melon, seeded and cubed
• 1 cup fine semolina
• 500 g sweetened almond milk
• 450 g (1 lb) purchased filo (phyllo)
• 1 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
• 1½ tbsp sesame seeds

Syrup

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups brown sugar
• ½ tsp dried coriander
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 10 crushed cardamom seeds
• Juice ½ a lime

Cooling time: 1 hour.

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients for the syrup to a saucepan and boil until reduced by a third. Set aside.
2. Beat the melon and the almond milk in a blender to liquify. Add ¾ of the mix into a large saucepan and bring it to a boil. When it starts boiling, it’s ready.
3. Place the remaining melon-almond milk mixture in a bowl. Mix it with semolina until fully incorporated. Slowly pour the semolina mix into the saucepan in a steady flow, stirring constantly with the wire. leave the mixture aside to cool.
4. Oil a medium-sized glass baking dish (33 cm x 23 cm x 5 cm / 13 in x 9 in x 2 in). Spread 4 sheets of phyllo, each folded in the middle lengthwise. Oil each sheet and place the phyllo sheets so they come up the sides of the pan to cover the entire interior.
5. Spread the cream evenly over the phyllo and top with 4 more sheets of phyllo, folding each one in half lengthwise and oiling each. Brush the top sheet with oil, and fold the excess overhang around the inside edges of the pan to form a nice rim. Score into serving pieces with a sharp knife and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 180°C (360°F).
6. As soon as the galaktoboureko is out of the oven, pour the cold syrup over the entire surface of the pastry and leave it to cool for about an hour. Serve.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

He surprised me with his use of melon in the filling. Needless to say, extra virgin Greek olive oil replaces the traditional use of butter in the classic, and the simple sugar syrup gets a twist with some cardamom and ginger. You’ll love it, I promise!