Bougatsa Thessalonikis

In a saucepan combine 4.5 cups whole milk with most of the 2/3 cup sugar, 0.5 cup semolina flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch and an optional pinch of salt.

Cook over medium heat, whisking so it does not burn; once it boils it thickens quickly. Take off the heat.

Whisk 2 eggs, 2 yolks and the remaining sugar; whisk in some of the hot milk mixture to temper them so they do not scramble.

Add the eggs to the saucepan and cook 3 to 4 minutes more until it thickens a bit more.

Heat off; whisk in 2 tsp vanilla extract and 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter until melted.

Layer five sheets of number four filo, brushing each generously with melted butter and sprinkling about a tablespoon of sugar over each.

Butter and sugar the sixth sheet, fold it in half twice into a rectangle and set it in the center.

Pour one third of the cooled custard over the folded sheet; fold the sides over, brushing with butter each time, into a rectangular parcel.

Flip the parcel, butter the top and move it to a parchment-lined baking tray; repeat for three parcels.

Bake at 350F on the center rack about 40 to 45 minutes until golden and crisp.

Push any oozed custard back with a spatula or leave it; cool 15 to 20 minutes so the custard sets.

Dust generously with confectioner sugar and ground cinnamon, cut into squares, and add more powdered sugar.

Variation: freeze unbaked parcels until solid and keep up to two months; bake from frozen on parchment at a slightly lower temperature, maybe 325F, until golden, puffed and crisp.