Ashta, Lebanese dessert

I believe this is what you are looking for, Galaktoboureko. It is a traditional Greek dessert. Here are two recipes. Sounds delicious!

Title: Galaktoboureko
Categories: Ethnic, Desserts Yield: 20 servings

Pudding:
6 c Milk
1 c Fine semolina
3 1/2 tb Cornstarch
3 c Granulated sugar
1/4 ts -Salt
6 Eggs
1 ts Vanilla extract; opt

12 Commercial filo sheets
3/4 c Butter; melted & hot
1 tb Butter

1 c -Water
1 Lemon or orange (peel only)

2 tb Fine brandy or cognac (opt.)


In a heavy-bottomed, 3-quart saucepan, bring the milk gradually to a boil; do not allow it to scorch. Meanwhile, sift the semolina, cornstarch, 1 cup of the sugar, and salt together and gradually add to the boiling milk, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook slowly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil, then remove from the heat. Beat the eggs on high speed of an electric mixer. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until very thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes, then add the vanilla. Stirring constantly, add eggs to the hot pudding. Partially cover the pan and allow to cool. Butter a 9 x 12 x 3-inch baking pan and cover the bottom with 7 sheets of the filo, brushing butter generously between each and making sure that a few sheets come up the pan sides. Pour the custard into the pan over the filo. Cover with the 5 remaining sheets, brushing butter between each and on the surface. With the tip of a very sharp knife, score the top filo sheets into square or diamond shapes, being careful not to score as deeply as the custard. Bake on the center rack of a moderate (350 F) oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until crisp and golden chestnut in color and the custard is firm. Meanwhile, boil the remaining 1-1/2 cups sugar with the water and lemon or orange peel for 5 minutes. Add the brandy or Cognac, if desired, and set aside. Remove the galaktoboureko from the oven and set on a cake rack. Spoon the hot syrup over the entire galaktoboureko, particularly the edges. Cool thoroughly before cutting and serving. Store in the refrigerator. From: "The Food of Greece" by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles. Avenel Books, New York. Source: Karen Mintzias I-Cooking

Galactoboureko: Greek Filled Custard Dessert

1 Box filo
2 Sticks butter melted

Custard:
1 qt Milk
5 Eggs
1/2 c Farina cereal
1/2 c Sugar Syrup:
1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Water
1/2 c Honey
Grated zest form a lemon
OR: 1 tsp rosewater

First make the custard: scald milk and cool to warm. add sugar and farina. beat 10 minutes until fluffy. Beat eggs separately until fluffy. Slowly beat some milk mixture into egg mixture on medium speed and return all egg mixture into milk mixture and blend well. Slowly cook mixture on low heat, stirring constantly until thick, about20 minutes. cool completely and chill. Mixture will be thick and creamy. Assemble: butter 6 whole filo sheets and overlap each in a buttered 9 x 13 pan so part of filo laps over edges of pan. Spread on all of filling. Flip edges of filo over to cover filling. Cover with 6 more buttered filo sheets and overlap and cover as before.Work quickly so filo doesnt dry out. Score 2/3rds through filo prior to baking. Bake in a 350 oven for 20 to 30 minutes or golden. Prepare the syrup by boiling all for 10 minutes. Pour hot syrup over cooled pastry. This is a very special Greek pastry.

MMMMM

Hello. I have mentioned this to the Sous Chef where I work, who is Lebanese. He didn't tell any specifics about it, (he was kind of busy) but he said he used a pastry cream style custard flavored with "rosewater" or maybe the glaze is flavored with it. (Kind of like the recipes above) I don't know where you could get or how to make "rosewater", but if i get any more info on this I will post it.......Victor a.k.a. layjo

[This message has been edited by layjo (edited October 03, 2000).]

Rosewater is a wonderful flavoring! You can find it at any gourmet shop, online and at an ethnic grocer. I love East Indian Lassie drinks with yogurt and rosewater. Also great over vanilla ice cream.

Sorry, Middle Eastern and Indian shops!

shroomgirl,

I believe Ashta is American/Lebanese, not originally Lebanese. I believe the recipe you are looking for is an adaptation of an authentic Lebanese dessert that originated in that country known as "kataifi b'ashta ". You may want to check it out...

kataifi b'ashta

CUSTARD FILLING:

4 c Milk
3/4 c Cornflour
4 Eggs; beaten
1 pn Salt
1/2 c Sugar
1 ts Vanilla essence
1/4 ts Rose essence

KATAIFI CRUST:

500 g Kataifi (shredded pastry)
3/4 c Unsalted butter;

SYRUP:

2 c Sugar
1 1/2 c Water
1 Thin strip lemon rind
1 Piece of cinnamon bark
3 ts Lemon juice

Oven temperature: 190 C (375 F) Cooking
time: 1 hour Combine milk and cornflour in a
heavy pan. Blend in beaten eggs and add salt
and sugar. Place over medium heat and stir
constantly until thickened and bubbling.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and rose
essence and cover top of custard with
buttered paper to prevent a skin forming.
Place kataifi in a large bowl and gently
separate strands with fingers. Grease a 20 x
28 cm (8 x 11 inch) oven dish with some of
the butter. Put half the kataifi in the
base, pressing it down to make it compact.
Drizzle 1/4 cup butterr evenly over it. Pour
custard filling over kataifi, spreading it
evenly. Top with remaining kataifi. Spread
evenly and pat down gently. Pour remaining
melted butter evenly over top. Bake in a
moderately hot oven for 45 minutes until
golden brown. Remove from oven and leave
until cool. Dissolve sugar in water over
medium heat, add lemon rind and cinnamon
bark and bring to the boil. Add lemon juice
and boil over medium heat for 15 minutes,
skimming when necessary. Do not stir once
syrup is boiling. Strain hot syrup over
cooled pastry. Leave until cold and cut into
diamond shapes to serve. Note: The previous
recipe is the traditional way in which this
dessert is made. As the custard and syrup
soften the kataifi, many good cooks use the
following method for a crisp finish: Prepare
the syrup as directed above and leave until
cool. Place the kataifi in a bowl and loosen
stands. Pour on 1/2 cup melted, unsalted
butter and mix with fingers to coat strands.
Spread kataifi in two buttered 20 x 28 cm (8
x 11 inch) straight-sided oven dishes and
press down to make it compact. Bake in a
moderately hot oven for 20-25 minutes until
golden - take care that it does not become
too brown. Remove from the oven and pour
cooled syrup evenly over hot kataifi in each
dish. Cover each dish with a tea towel so
that kataifi softens slightly, otherwise it
will be difficult to cut. Make custard as
directed in previous recipe and pour while
hot onto kataifi in one dish. Invert other
dish of kataifi on top of the custard. Leave
uncovered until cool, then cut into diamond
shapes to serve.

From: "The Complete Middle East Cookbook" by
Tess Mallos ISBN: 1 86302 069 1

Do you think the above recipe is the correct one? If not, exactly how is the one you had different?

The restaurant Byblos on Magazine St. in New Orleans serves a killer version of this, but instad of being in a folded fillo triangle it is served warm in a gathered fillo "pouch" with a light Rose syrup and pistachio nuts. I don't know if it is the same Chief now as before the hurricane, but the chief last year told me he thickens his custard with white bread crumbs. TO DIE FOR!!!!

I am not a big dessert person but man that sounds good!

Wow, 11 years and I am posting. Ashta is not American/Lebanese. It is lebanese, well arabic to be exact. In egypt they call it qashta. My grandfather owned numerous stores in Beirut that specialized in ashta, among other things. Unfortnuately, he did many years before I was born and the war closed his empire.

 

Traditionally, ashta is made from skimming the fat that collects on top of milk when it is heated. These days, people use a variety of starch based techniques to replicate this.

This sounds divine! I have to make these soon.

thats right. its a lebanese dessert. i would like to know who ur dad was? and do u know how to make it?