Trigona Panoramatos the crisp, lightly drizzled with syrup filo triangles are filled with cool, silky custard. A specialty of Thessaloniki and, more specifically, the hillside suburb of Panorama, they are baked as hollow shells and filled only after cooling, preserving the contrast between brittle filo and rich cream.

This recipe makes about 25 trigona, depending on their size.

For the custard

700 ml whole milk

120 g granulated sugar

5 egg yolks

45 g cornstarch

35 g all-purpose flour

2 tsp vanilla extract

Finely grated zest of ½ lemon

30 g unsalted butter

1 pinch fine sea salt

For the filo triangles

450 g filo pastry

180 g unsalted clarified butter, melted

For the syrup

300 g granulated sugar

250 ml water

1 strip lemon peel

1 tsp lemon juice

To finish

Finely chopped pistachios, optional

Step One

Pour 550 ml of the milk into a saucepan and heat until almost simmering.

Meanwhile, place the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until pale, smooth and frothy. Add the cornstarch and all-purpose flour, then gradually whisk in the remaining 150 ml cold milk until completely smooth.

Slowly pour about one-third of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking continuously to temper the eggs. Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens and begins to bubble.

Once it reaches a gentle boil, continue cooking for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously, so that the flour and cornstarch are fully cooked.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, lemon zest, butter and salt.

Transfer the custard to a wide bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap. Leave to cool, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until completely chilled.

Step Two

Place the sugar, water and lemon peel in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.

Add the lemon juice, remove from the heat and leave the syrup to cool completely.

Once cooled, discard the lemon peel.

Step Three

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) conventional / 350°F (175°C) fan. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the filo sheets lengthwise into strips about 8 cm wide, depending on the size of the triangles you wish to make. Keep the filo covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel while working so that it does not dry out.

Take two filo strips and lightly brush between the layers with melted butter.

Starting from one end, fold the strip diagonally to form a triangle, then continue folding the triangle over itself, as you would fold a flag, until you reach the end of the strip.

Place on the prepared baking sheet and brush the outside generously with melted butter.

Repeat with the remaining filo.

Step Four

Using a sharp knife, carefully cut an opening along one side of each folded triangle. Gently separate the layers to create a pocket, then insert a small cone of parchment paper inside to help the pastry hold its hollow shape as it bakes.

Bake for about 20–25 minutes, or until deeply golden and completely crisp.

While the triangles are still warm, lightly spoon the cold syrup over them or dip each one briefly into the syrup for a few seconds. Do not soak them for too long. They should absorb some sweetness while remaining crisp.

Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Step Five

Once the custard is thoroughly chilled, whisk it briefly until smooth and creamy.

Transfer to a piping bag and generously fill each cooled filo triangle with custard.

Sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios, if using, and serve.

For the best texture, keep the baked filo shells and custard separate and fill the triangles shortly before serving.