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Greek Custard Pie – Galatopita

ByElena Paravantes, MS, RD
Greek custard pie

While Greek cuisine and diet is characterized by mainly vegetarian dishes as well as vegan desserts made with olive oil, in times of celebration they really go all out. Case in point: galatopita or galopita which basically translates to milk pie. It is a baked custard cake or pie, but our version has no crust.

When Greeks were not fasting from animal products, there were periods in between where they enjoyed more “luxurious” foods such as eggs and butter and the desserts reflected this.

This cake is a family favorite, my mother will make it for Easter and for the 15th of August. I will say that this cake/pie is rather simple and light. There is no crust which makes things a lot easier (also reduces calories). It is not really rich in calories, just a few eggs, a bit of sugar and I used low-fat milk. The result is a dessert with few carbs and fat and rich in protein.

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Greek Custard Pie – Galatopita

Greek custard pie
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
Author: Elena Paravantes, MS, RD
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Ingredients

  • 4 cups (950 mls) of milk I used 2%
  • 10 tablespoons semolina
  • 1 cup (200 g) sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • Lemon zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • cinnamon and powdered sugar for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius)
  • Prepare a round 9 inch pie dish or pan by greasing it and sprinkling some semolina flour.
  • In a bowl mix the semolina flour, sugar, 1 cup cold milk, 3 eggs, vanilla and zest until smooth.
  • Heat the rest of the milk and add to flour mixture and mix. Transfer to a heavy pot.
  • Place pot under low heat and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). Be careful not to let the custard burn.
  • Once the mixture starts to bubble, continue heating and mixing for 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. Mix until butter melts.
  • Let the custard cool for about 5 minutes.
  • Pour mixture in the pan or pie dish.
  • In a small bowl beat the other egg and brush on top of pie.
  • Bake for about 45 minutes until surface starts to brown.
  • Remove from oven and let the pie cool completely.
  • Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon and powdered sugar.

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Photo by Elena Paravantes© All Rights Reserved

Elena Paravantes, MS, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist by the U.S. Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). She is an expert on the Mediterranean Diet. She has been active as a clinician, consultant, author and lecturer for 20 years, both in the U.S. and Greece. An expert on the Greek Mediterranean Diet, her interviews and articles have been published in many publications including CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Prevention, NPR, and Shape. Elena has collaborated with a number of organizations including Loyola University, Yale University, University of Missouri, Louisiana State University, and the American College of Greece. Elena earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Dietetics and her Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds has a Master’s Degree of Science in Health Management.

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33 Comments

  2. Thank You! We have been trying to find this recipe for a few weeks…actually missed the correct Greek name for the Galatopita, we were not even close!
    Then we happened to see an episode of My Greek Odyssey (season 7 ep4) yesterday (august 11)and Peter and his mate actually made this! Amazing. A bit of detective work to catch the name and here we go, thank you Google.
    regards
    John and Trish5 stars

    Reply