The secret, of course, lies in the milk, which should be full fat. If you can find it, sheep’s milk (often available in dairy shops) is an excellent choice, as it gives an even creamier result. Serve it with powdered sugar or honey and plenty of cinnamon - it’s a light, delicious dessert you can enjoy any time of the day.

Translation | Amaryllis Tsegou

Greek milk pie (Galatopita) without phyllo

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 1 hour | Total time: 1 hour and 5 mins | Serves: 6-8

Ingredients 

for a baking tray about 26 cm in diameter

  • 1 ltr fresh whole milk (preferably sheep’s milk)
  • 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 150 g sugar
  • 150 g fine semolina + a little extra for sprinkling the tray
  • 3 medium eggs, at room temperature (preferably free-range or organic)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter + extra for greasing the tray
  • zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
  • a pinch of salt

For serving

  • powdered sugar or honey
  • ground cinnamon

Method

  1. For the Greek milk pie without phyllo, heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Place the vanilla pod on a cutting board, slice it lengthwise with a sharp knife and open it up. Scrape out the seeds with the blade and add both the seeds and the pod to the milk.
  3. Heat gently until the milk is hot and steaming, but do not let it boil. Remove the vanilla pod, then gradually add the sugar and semolina, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens into a cream.
  4. Remove from the heat and add the butter, vanilla (if using extract), lemon zest and salt. Whisk well and allow the mixture to cool slightly. At the same time, preheat the oven to 180°C.
  5. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk and add them gradually to the milk mixture, stirring continuously so they don’t curdle.
  6. Butter a baking tray (about 26 cm in diameter) and sprinkle the base with a little semolina. Pour in the cream and smooth the surface with a spatula.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
  8. Let the milk pie cool slightly, then serve with powdered sugar or honey and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon.
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