Sweet Bastela

This is similar to the French pastry Napoleon. The recipe comes from a Moosewood cookbook.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  cups milk
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 4  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 10  phyllo pastry sheets
• 3  tablespoons butter, melted
• 2  tablespoons  raspberry jam
• 1⁄2 cup  almonds, coarsely chopped
•  confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the milk and sugar to scalding.
2. Whirl the eggs in a blender while slowly pouring in the hot milk.
3. Add the vanilla and cinnamon.
4. If the custard doesn't thicken enough to coat a spoon, return it to the pan and reheat it gently, stirring constantly until it thickens. If it should curdle slightly while thickening, blend it again.
5. Refrigerate the custard.
6. Using a 7-8 inch plate as a guide, cut 2 circles from each sheet of filo.
7. On buttered baking pans, stack the filo sheets, four sheets to a stack, brushing every second sheet with melted butter.
8. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until the filo is golden brown.
9. Assemble the bastela. Begin with one pair of filo circles. Spread all of the jam over this bottom layer of filo and sprinkle on a few chopped almonds.
10. Add another pair of filo circles, some almonds, and some of the egg custard.
11. Continue to layer the filo, almonds, and custard until all of the ingredients are used.
12. End with a pair of filo circles.
13. Sprinkle the pastry with confectioners' sugar, cut it into 6 wedges and serve immediately.