Moussaka
One of the most classic dishes in Greece, firstly noted in cookbooks of the early 20th century. This food in its variations is common in the Balkans, throughout the Levant, and in the Middle East. I’ll post a Greek version of this food that uses potatoes and zucchini in addition to eggplant. The name moussaka comes from the Arabic language musaqqa’a (مسقعة), which literally means something like fed liquid.
Preparation time: Preparation with baking 2.5h
Level: Medium
Quantity: Serves six to eight
Ingredients:
Vegetables
2 large potatoes peeled and cut into thin slices
1 medium onion, sliced
1 larger eggplant sliced
2 medium zucchini sliced
Meat layer
1 medium onion, chopped
2 larger garlic cloves chopped
0.5 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
500 g minced meat (beef or pork)
1 crushed tomato 400ml, canned
Beshamel sauce:
100 g butter
100 g of wheat flour
750 ml of milk
Black pepper, 0.25 tsp nutmeg,
100 g grated Parmesan cheese
3 egg yolks
Preparation:
1. Peel potatoes and slice, peel onion, cut in half and slice into thin slices. Mix potatoes and onion with a couple of spoons of olive oil, thyme, black pepper, and sea salt
2. Pour potatoes and onion into an oven and bake at 200 degrees celsius for 20 minutes.
3. Slice eggplant, mix with olive oil, black pepper, thyme, and sea salt, store slices on potato and onion layer and cook for 20 min at 200 degrees celsius
4. Slice zucchini, mix with olive oil, black pepper, sea salt and thyme, and stock with eggplant. Bake for 20 minutes at 20 degrees.
5. Chop the medium onion and fry in the pan until lightly browned, add the garlic and fry for a few minutes
6. Add cinnamon and fry for 1 min, add tomato paste and 500 g minced meat (beef or pork), season with salt and pepper and fry through.
7. Add 400 ml jar of crushed canned tomatoes, fry until liquid evaporates less, set aside
8. In a pot or large pan, melt butter in low heat for a bechamel sauce or, add flour and stir, add milk gradually, stirring constantly
9. Add milk until a thick, smooth sauce forms. Add the black pepper, nutmeg, and add 100 g of grated parmesan.
10. Add 3 egg yolks, mix until smooth
11. Add 1/3 of the bechamel sauce to the minced meat mixture and mix well.
12. Spread the minced meat evenly over the vegetables and cover with a layer of bechamel sauce and sprinkle over 50 g of grated parmesan.
13. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees celsius for 30 minutes or until the food is golden brown
14. Allow at least 1 hour to stand after baking before serving. This food needs to equalize the flavors and texture to unify.
15. Serve with tzatziki or salad
Ready !!!
