What is moussaka. Moussaka recipe step by step with photo

In this article, we will look at the process of making moussaka.

In the culinary world, there are a huge number of recipes for delicious casseroles, but today our choice fell on an interesting dish, which is traditionally considered Greek.

So, today we will prepare a dish called moussaka, which is a delicate casserole with a variety of fillings.

Greek dish moussaka: a classic Greek recipe

Moussaka, as mentioned earlier, is a very popular Greek dish, which is usually prepared from vegetables, most often eggplant and minced meat with delicious bechamel sauce.

Since moussaka was originally considered an exclusively Greek dish, we will start preparing the delicacy according to the classic recipe.

So, we need the following products:

Potato - 2.5 kg
Eggplant - 2.5 kg
Olive or vegetable oil - 150 ml
Beef pulp - 1 kg
Bulb - 1 pc.
Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
Spices, salt - at your discretion
Breadcrumbs for breading - 3.5 tbsp. l.
Cheese - 50 g

We will also prepare the sauce, it will require the following ingredients:

Flour - 5.5 tbsp. l.
Butter - 200 g
Baked milk - 350 g
Eggs - 3-4 pcs., We only need yolks
Ground nutmeg - 1.5 tsp.

Now that all the ingredients are prepared, you can begin the process of cooking the dish itself.

Let's start with the meat. We take the pulp of beef, rinse it thoroughly and dry it with paper towels. Now grind the pulp into pieces so that you can make minced meat out of it. Chopped pieces can be chopped with a meat grinder or blender
Now we put our minced meat in a container in which we will fry it, pre-pour oil into the pan
We clean the onion and chop it, add to the minced meat
When the minced meat and onions are lightly fried, we flavor them with our spices and salt.
Let's take tomatoes. We wash them and grind them with a grater or blender. Put the resulting puree in a pan, mix all the ingredients, simmer until tender.
We take vegetables, wash, dry. Potatoes, after peeling, chop into slices of medium thickness. We also clean the eggplant and cut into slices, cut the vegetable along the length. In order to remove the bitterness from the vegetable, you can soak it for more than 10 minutes. in saline
We will pre-bake the vegetables a little in the oven, for this we transfer the potatoes and eggplants to a baking sheet and cook for about 20 minutes. at 170 degrees

While the mince and vegetables are cooking, let's make the sauce.

Take a container, put butter in it
As soon as the butter is completely melted, add flour to it and carefully mix the contents of the pan quickly in order to avoid lumps.
Now the turn of milk has come, it must be poured into the container very carefully, little by little. Pour milk - mix the ingredients
We drive eggs, spices into an almost ready sauce and beat the mixture. The sauce is ready

We collect our dish:

Spray a baking dish lightly with oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Lay the meat layer on the bottom
Now a layer of potatoes
eggplant layer
Once again, repeat the sequence, lay out all the layers
Pour our sauce into the mold
We put the dish to bake for about half an hour at the same temperature
For 3-5 min. before the end of the cooking process, sprinkle the moussaka with grated cheese

Recipe:

This recipe is very similar to the previous one, however, it contains other vegetables. So, let's see how easy and fast you can make Bulgarian moussaka.

We will need the following products:

Minced meat - 550 g
Bulb - 2 pcs.
Bulgarian pepper - 2 pcs.
Carrot - 1 pc.
Eggplant - 2 pcs.
Eggs - 3 pcs.
Yogurt for dressing - half a liter
Oil for frying - 3.5 tbsp. l.
Oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika, salt - at your discretion

Let's start cooking:

Let's deal with minced meat. You can buy ground pork or ground beef. You can buy "assorted" or, if possible, buy the pulp, and make minced meat yourself. If you do not like fatty meat, however, you want to make moussaka, take minced chicken
Peel and mince the onion
Wash the pepper and remove the core, cut into rings
Eggplants are peeled, if necessary, we remove bitterness from them, cut into slices along the length
Wash carrots, chop into cubes or circles
Pour oil into the pan and put the onion and carrot there, fry the vegetables a little, about 3 minutes.
Add the minced meat to the vegetables, mix and fry for another 10 minutes.
We flavor the contents of the pan with spices, spices, salt
Eggplant and pepper pre-bake a little in the oven. To do this, put them on a baking sheet, greased with oil and cook for about 15 minutes.
Now we assemble the dish:
Put the eggplant in the mold
now pepper
Repeat the layout until the ingredients run out.
Yogurt, pre-mixed with eggs and flavored with spices and salt, pour into a mold
Bake moussaka for about 15-25 minutes.

Armenian eggplant moussaka: recipe

Moussaka in Armenian is somewhat different from the traditional dish. This delicacy turns out to be unusually satisfying, high-calorie and, of course, tasty.

We buy products:

Beef pulp - 650 g
Eggplant - 5 pcs.
Bulb - 1.5 pcs.
Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
Rice - half a cup
Oil for frying
Greenery,

The cooking process is very simple:

We wash the beef pulp, dry it and cut into small pieces
Wash the eggplants, peel them and cut them into slices, sprinkle with salt in order to “pull out” the bitterness from them. After 15 min. Rinse the vegetables with water to remove excess salt.
Peel the onion and cut into cubes
We wash the rice in running cold water, this must be done as efficiently as possible. We put a container with rice and bring it to half-cooked
In a frying pan, into which we first pour oil, spread the meat and fry for 5 minutes.
Add the onion to the beef and continue to fry for about 3-5 minutes.
In another pan, fry the eggplant until half cooked. We put them on a plate and wait until the oil drains a little from the vegetables.
Mix rice, beef and onion in a bowl. Season it all with salt and spices, mix
My tomatoes and remove the core, cut into slices, finely chop the greens

Assembling the dish:

Grease a baking sheet or dish with oil
We spread the eggplant
Mix of rice and meat
eggplant
tomatoes

We put in the oven. We expect about 15-25 minutes. Serve the dish hot, pre-garnished with herbs. The peculiarity of this recipe is that not minced meat is put in the dish, but pieces of meat. However, if you don't like it, you can grind the pulp and use minced meat.

Serbian moussaka: recipe

Now let's see how Serbs prepare moussaka. We would call this dish more “light”, because according to this recipe, you need to use a minimum of ingredients.

Products we need:

Pulp of pork, beef - 300 g each
Potato - 7 pcs.
Carrot, onion - 2 pcs.
Eggs - 2 pcs.
Cheese - 50 g
Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
Spices, spices, salt - at your discretion
Vegetable oil
Greenery
Milk

Cooking a dish:

We wash the meat, dry it and grind it with a meat grinder or blender.
Vegetables are cleaned and washed. Chop the onion into cubes, carrots into strips, potatoes into circles. It is worth slicing the potatoes as thinly as possible, because we will not pre-fry or boil it
Fry onions and carrots in oil, like frying for soup
We spread our minced meat to the fried vegetables and fry it for about 15 minutes.
We flavor the contents of the pan with spices, spices and salt
Lubricate the form with oil, spread the potatoes, minced meat, potatoes, minced meat and tomatoes, potatoes
We put the container in the oven and bake until the potatoes are ready, about 35-40 minutes.
Min. 10-15 before the end of the cooking process, beat the eggs with milk and pour the moussaka with this mixture. And in 5 min. - Sprinkle with shredded cheese
Already serving the dish, it must be flavored with chopped herbs.

Moussaka with potatoes: recipe

Moussaka with potatoes turns out to be very satisfying, so most housewives prefer this recipe. Let's see how to prepare this delicacy.

We will need:

Lamb pulp - 500 g
Bulb - 1.5 pcs.
Canned tomatoes - 300 g
Eggplant - 1 pc.
Potato - 4 pcs.
Sweet pepper - 1 pc.
Garlic - 3 cloves
Butter - 2 tbsp. l.
Milk - 250 ml
Cheese - 50 g
Vegetable oil - 3.5 tbsp. l.
Flour - 1.5-2 tbsp. l.
Spices, spices, salt - at your discretion

Let's start cooking:

Wash the meat, dry it and pass it through a meat grinder
Peel the onion and chop with a knife or blender
Put the onion in a heated frying pan with oil, after 3 minutes. add minced meat to it, fry the contents of the pan for 15-20 minutes.
We spread the tomatoes in the pan and season everything with salt, spices, mix, let it stew for about 15 minutes.
Wash the eggplant, peel and cut into circles, sprinkle with salt to remove bitterness. In 10 minutes. wash the eggplant and fry in a pan until half cooked
Peel the potatoes, cut into slices and lightly weld
Wash the pepper, remove the core and cut into slices
In a baking dish, pre-greased with oil, put the minced meat, potatoes, peppers and eggplant

Preparing the sauce:

Put the butter in a container, melt it, add flour, mix the ingredients thoroughly. Pour milk, let the contents of the pan boil and thicken, season with spices, add salt if necessary
Pour our moussaka with potatoes with this sauce and sprinkle the dish with chopped cheese
We wait about 40 minutes while the dish is cooked in the oven

Moussaka with zucchini: recipe

Moussaka with zucchini is very popular, because zucchini is an affordable vegetable, and the taste of the dish with it is simply incredible.

Ingredients for the dish:

Minced meat - 550 g
Bulb - 1.5 pcs.
Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
Zucchini - 4 pcs. (1 kg)
Potato - 2 pcs.
Red wine - 150 ml
Vegetable oil - 100 ml
Spices, spices, salt - at your discretion

We will prepare the sauce from the following products:

Flour - 2.5 tbsp. l.
Eggs - 3 pcs.
Hard cheese - 100 g
Butter - 100 g
A mixture of nuts (peanuts, almonds) - 50 g
Milk - half a liter

All the ingredients are collected, let's start cooking:

Let's start with the main ingredient. Wash zucchini and cut lengthwise into slices. Fry in oil until half cooked and transfer to a plate so that oil is glassed from vegetables
Wash the potatoes, boil in their skins until half cooked, peel and cut into slices
The onion should be peeled, finely chopped
In a frying pan, into which we first pour oil, spread the onion, after 3 minutes. Add minced meat, mix, fry for about 7 minutes.
At this time, wash the tomatoes, remove the core and chop
Now we spread the tomatoes to the minced meat, flavor it all with spices, salt and pour in the wine, mix and simmer until the liquid evaporates

We prepare the sauce like this:

Melt the butter in a bowl, add flour to it, mix. Pour milk, flavor with spices, turn off the fire under the pan. Add pre-chopped mixture of nuts and cheese, mix. Crack the eggs into the sauce, beat the mixture

Assembling the dish:

In a pre-oiled form, put the zucchini (half), potatoes, minced meat and all other zucchini. Pour the sauce, cook in the oven for about an hour.

Moussaka with rice: recipe

It's time to tell you about a delicious casserole with rice and vegetables. This recipe is perfect for those people who are watching their figure or just want to diversify the menu with some kind of dish that does not contain meat.

We buy the following products:

Eggplant - 4 pcs.
Bulb - 2 pcs.
Sweet pepper - 2 pcs.
Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
Rice - half a cup
Eggs - 2 pcs.
Wheat flour - 2 tbsp. l.
Milk - 200 ml
Vegetable oil - half a cup
Spices, spices, salt - at your discretion

Cooking moussaka:

Wash eggplant, peel, remove bitterness from them in a known way. Wash and pan fry
Wash the rice thoroughly until the water is clear.
Peel the onion and chop as finely as possible.
Saute onion and rice for about 10 minutes. stir the ingredients all the time.
Add about 300 ml of water to the rice, add salt, and cook until the water evaporates
Tomatoes cut into slices
Wash the peppers, remove the core and cut into slices
In a pre-oiled form, put half the eggplant, tomatoes and rice, then all the peppers, again rice, eggplant, tomatoes
Cover the form tightly with foil and send to bake for about half an hour.
Beat the egg, flour, spices, salt and milk and get the sauce
Fill after 30 minutes. sauce our dish and already without foil bring to readiness for about 20 minutes.

Moussaka with cabbage: recipe

We present to your attention an unusually tasty and healthy recipe. This dish is perfect not only for a family lunch or dinner, but also for a festive table. Such moussaka always turns out very fragrant and tender.

Required products:

Pulp of beef, pork - 550 g
Champignons - 350 g
Cauliflower - 550 g
Bulb -1 pc.
Garlic - a couple of cloves
Milk - half a liter
Eggs - 4 pcs.
Cheese -70 g
Spices, spices, salt - at your discretion
Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp. l.

Preparing a treat:

We clean the onion and garlic and pass it through a meat grinder together with the meat, we get minced meat
Mushrooms are cleaned, washed and chopped into slices, or we cut each mushroom into 2-4 parts
Fry the mushrooms in vegetable oil, and after 5 minutes. add minced meat to it and fry the contents of the pan for about 15-20 minutes.
Flavor the minced meat with the necessary spices and salt
Let's get to the cabbage. We thoroughly wash it, divide it into inflorescences and lower them for 5 minutes. into boiling water
We take a baking sheet, but rather a deeper baking dish and grease with oil
Place half of the cabbage in a bowl.
Then put mince
And another layer of cabbage
Beat eggs, milk and cheese with salt and spices. Pour moussaka with this liquid
Cook in the oven for about 1 hour.
Serve hot, however, in this case, the dish may crumble. It is better to let the dish cool a little and then cut it into portioned pieces.

Vegetarian moussaka with vegetables: recipe

There is no meat, milk and eggs in your diet, but you really want to try this dish? For you, there is an excellent recipe for vegetarian moussaka, which, by the way, is no less in demand than recipes that contain meat.

So we need to take:

Potato - 3 pcs.
Bulb - 1.5 pcs.
Carrot - 1 pc.
Sweet pepper - 2 pcs.
Eggplant - 2 pcs.
Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
Zucchini - 1 pc.
Spices, spices, salt - at your discretion
Vegetable oil
Garlic - a couple of cloves
Vegetable broth or water - 200 ml

Cooking a dish:

Wash eggplant, peel and cut into circles, which we cover with salt for 7 minutes in order to remove bitterness. After the procedure, do not forget to rinse the vegetables
We clean the potatoes, wash them and cut into circles in the same way
We clean the onion and chop it into rings or half rings
Wash, peel and chop carrots in any way
Rinse the pepper and remove the core from it. Grind in circles
Tomatoes cut into slices, pre-washed
Finely chop the garlic

Assembling the dish is very simple:

Grease the form with oil, put potatoes, garlic, eggplant, onions, carrots, peppers and tomatoes
Each layer must be lightly flavored with spices, salt and oil.
Pour the broth into the container and put in the oven for 40-50 minutes. until vegetables are ready

It is important to say that the main vegetable used in this dish is eggplant. Other vegetables you can choose at your discretion. Some add celery, broccoli, asparagus, and even pumpkin.

Moussaka: recipe from Yulia Vysotskaya

Julia Vysotskaya needs no introduction. All hostesses probably know this sorceress of their business. That is why we decided to tell the recipe for this dish, which she uses in her kitchen.

We need these products:

Beef pulp - 550 g
Eggplant - 2 pcs.
Red bulb - 1.5 pcs.
Tomato paste - 1.5 tbsp. l.
Fresh mint and parsley - 1 bunch each
Butter - 1.5 tsp.
Olive oil - 3.5 tbsp. l.
A mixture of spices and spices: cumin, hot red pepper, black pepper, paprika, salt
Cheese - 80 g
Milk - 450 ml
Wheat flour - 2.5 tbsp. l.
Ground nutmeg - 5 g

Cooking moussaka:

Eggplant should be washed and dried. Next, cut them into slices lengthwise, flavor with oil, spices, salt and fry
Grind the meat with a blender or in a meat grinder
We clean the onion and chop it in half rings and fry in a pan with olive and butter
Season the onion with spices, salt and spread the tomato paste to it
Chopped herbs (parsley)
We spread the minced meat and parsley in a container with onions, fry for about 15 minutes.
We take and grind the cheese. According to the recipe, you need to take Parmesan, but the cost of this product is high and, if desired, it can be replaced with any other hard cheese

We make the sauce like this.

All dry ingredients are fried in a pan.
Slowly pour the milk into the pan, stir
As soon as the contents boil, remove the pan from the heat, pour the sauce into a plate and add cheese to it, mix

We collect the dish.

Place the eggplant in a baking dish. You need to lay them out so that the sides of the dish are obtained from the slices
Now we put minced meat there
Pour the sauce into the mold
We send it to the oven for half an hour
We decorate the already prepared dish with fresh mint leaves.

Moussaka is an interesting and delicious dish. Preparing such a delicacy is as easy as shelling pears, and the simplest ingredients are needed for the dish. Therefore, we recommend that you definitely try this delicacy. And one more tip: do not be afraid to try something new, add your own ingredients and spices, because you are cooking first of all for yourself. Bon Appetit!

Video: Moussaka in Greek

Moussaka with minced meat is a hallmark of Mediterranean cuisine. Nobody knows the exact history of this dish, it is prepared in many countries, and there are as many cooking options as there are countries themselves. In Greece, eggplants are added to meat, tomatoes are offered in the Serbian version, and potatoes in Bulgaria. In Arab countries, the dish is served as a cold salad with tomatoes and eggplant. By the way, the origin of the word “moussaka” (accent on the last syllable) is Arabic, and it means “chilled”.

I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the recipe for Greek moussaka, so loved by all tourists. In Greece, moussaka is served both in inexpensive cafes and in luxurious restaurants. But in order to try this delicious casserole, it is not at all necessary to go somewhere, the proposed recipe with a photo is as close as possible to the classic Greek one and can be easily used at home. For cooking, you will need eggplant, some potatoes, minced lamb and a traditional filling - Bechamel sauce. And of course, almost no Greek dish is complete without cheese and olive oil. Vegetables for casseroles can be pre-fried or baked in the oven - do as you like. In the first version, olive oil is used to lubricate the pan, in the second - vegetables.

Olive oil is a true Greek product. First-pressed oil is the most useful, it contains a lot of fatty acids (oleic, omega 3 and 9), vitamins A, D, E, K. It is believed that such oil is not used for frying, since all the benefits disappear under the influence of high temperature. But contrary to popular belief, many Italian, Greek, French chefs fry exclusively on it. There is a way to keep the maximum benefit of olive oil: fry food over low to medium heat. If the oil starts to burn and smoke, the temperature has been exceeded. You can also bake vegetables in the oven - the oil will definitely not burn there, unless, of course, you set a timer.

Greek moussaka is vaguely reminiscent of Italian lasagna, the recipe of which is located. Only instead of dough, a vegetable layer is used. Initially, the Greek recipe involves only eggplant, but its modern modifications allow the addition of potatoes and zucchini. Greek casserole with eggplant and potatoes is very satisfying and stands out a bit among the low-calorie Mediterranean dishes. According to tradition, it is prepared with minced lamb, but it also comes out quite tasty and juicy with pork and beef. You can even try minced turkey or chicken if you need to reduce the fat content of the dish. What else makes the casserole zest? This is red wine, which is added during the process of stewing meat. A special Mediterranean flavor is given to the meat dish by a cinnamon stick and mint. How to cook juicy and tasty moussaka step by step? Sharing the recipe!

Ingredients:

for moussaka:

3 eggplants (600-700 g);
4 large potato tubers (600-700 g);
3 small tomatoes (300 g);
1 small onion (300 g);
500 g of lamb or pork and beef mince;
200 g mozzarella;
100 ml. red dry wine;
2 cloves of garlic;
salt, pepper to taste;
cinnamon stick;
a few mint leaves;
extra virgin olive oil.

for the bechamel sauce:

1 l. milk;
100 g butter;
3 tbsp flour;
a pinch of nutmeg;
0.5 tsp provencal herbs.

Greek moussaka recipe with eggplant, potatoes, minced meat and bechamel sauce

1. Cut the washed eggplant into circles about half a centimeter thick.

2. Salt and leave for 20-30 minutes, so that the pieces release the juice, with which all the bitterness comes out of the eggplant.

3. Cut the potatoes into circles of about the same thickness as the eggplant.

4. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet covered with baking paper, lightly sprinkle with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees. It should become soft and brown a little on top.

5. We make cuts on the skin of tomatoes to make it easier to remove it.

6. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and leave for 5 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion.

Tip: To keep from crying while slicing, chew on something or rinse your knife with cold water.

8. Put the onion in a pan with heated olive oil and sauté until half cooked.

9. Spread the minced meat to the onion and break it with a spatula, then mix with the onion.

10. You can already peel the skin from the tomatoes. Cut the fruits into small cubes.

11. Minced meat seized, meat juice began to stand out.

12. It's time to add the tomatoes to the minced meat.

13. Pour in red wine.

14. Add spices: mint and cinnamon stick.

15. Add water and simmer over low heat.

16. Wash the eggplants and squeeze the juice, dry with paper towels.

17. We also bake eggplants until soft (about 20 minutes), brushing a little olive oil on top.

18. Not a single moussaka is complete without Bechamel sauce. Interestingly, the origin of the fill is not Greek, but French! The preparation of the sauce is described in detail. So, melt half the butter over low heat, pour in the flour and mix immediately. Now pour in the warm milk in small portions, without ceasing to stir. Salt and pepper, mix and cook after boiling for another 2-3 minutes. Now turn off the heat, put the remaining oil and cover the pan with a lid until it is completely dissolved. Bechamel is ready. It will thicken a bit as it cools.

19. Half of the liquid from the pan has evaporated, minced meat remained in the sauce. You can get a cinnamon stick (it has already worked its way), add squeezed garlic, mix and remove the pan from the stove.

20. Rub the mozzarella on a fine grater.

21. We begin to collect moussaka with potatoes and eggplant. Grease the bottom of the mold with bechamel sauce.

22. Put a layer of eggplant in the form, arrange the circles tightly to each other.

23. Put minced meat on top.

24. Sprinkle with a little cheese.

25. Spread potatoes and cover with sauce.

26. The next layer is minced meat again.

27. And sprinkle with cheese again.

28. Spread the remaining eggplant.

29. Pour all the remaining sauce and mozzarella. We put moussaka with eggplant in a heated oven and bake at 180 degrees for 40 minutes.

30. Moussaka is baked, the cheese is beautifully browned. You can decorate the Greek casserole with a sprig of mint and serve. Bon Appetit!

Ancient and eternally young Hellas not only generously shares with its guests its rich and unique history, picturesque seascapes, beautiful resorts, good nature and hospitality of the inhabitants, but also the tastes and aromas of its national dishes.

And everyone who has been here dreams of returning at least for a short time in order to once again enjoy the unique charm of this wonderful country and the magnificent “taste feast” of Greek cuisine.

For those who have not yet been to Greece, and for those who, after visiting this wonderful country, have retained warm memories of small cozy taverns, I suggest making an exciting journey in the form of a small culinary adventure called “Traditional Greek Moussaka Dish”.

Let's join the feast of taste together as we explore the history of the famous Greek dish and how it is prepared.

A bit of history

What is moussaka?
Moussaka (emphasis on the last syllable) is a casserole of eggplant and lamb, sometimes ground beef, pork or chicken, topped with a thick layer of béchamel sauce, which becomes hard and golden in color during cooking.

I do not at all think that Socrates or Demosthenes tried moussaka. It was not served either in ancient Athens or in the glorious Sparta. And she could not appear in those ancient times. However, this dish has its own interesting history..

Its main components - eggplants, having passed their winding path from East India to ancient China, and at the same time to Central Asia and Egypt, only in the XIII century come from the Arab countries to Italy, and then to Spain and Greece.

Europeans did not eat them for a long time, thinking that they were poisonous. The Greeks began to cultivate and consume eggplant only at the end of the 19th century. The name "moussaka" itself is first found in an old thirteenth-century Arabic book known as the Baghdad Cookbook.

But the method of preparing the ancient Arabic moussaka bears little resemblance to the Greek one, just as the culinary recipes of dishes under the identical name, which are prepared in Libya, Turkey and Moldova, are not similar to it.

Became Moussaka is the culinary hallmark of Greece, which is so loved by gourmets in many countries of the world, was invented by the famous chef Nikos Tselemendis at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The famous Greek culinary specialist studied his art in Vienna, and then, returning to Greece, worked as a cook in various foreign embassies.
In 1919, he became the general director of the large Ermis Hotel, but in the same year, leaving this prestigious post for unknown reasons, he left for America.

There he worked in many of the famous and most expensive American restaurants, while graduating in three specialties: cook, confectioner and nutritionist.

Returning to Greece in 1932, Nikos founded a small pastry school and at the same time wrote a cookbook in which he published his own recipes. The cookbook quickly became wildly popular and was reprinted 15 times in a single decade.
Until now, it is the desktop for many famous Greek chefs.

As Tselemendis himself explains, in his culinary creations he wanted to combine traditional Greek products with the best inventions of fine European cuisine, of which he was an ardent admirer.
This was successfully done in moussaka!

From the combination of vegetables and lamb familiar to every Greek peasant with French bechamel sauce, Greek moussaka really became a world culinary masterpiece and gained immense popularity, first among the Greeks themselves, and then in the world.

Does moussaka come with lobster

Even some two or three decades ago, the world knew almost nothing about Greek cuisine.

There is a certain stereotype that Greek cuisine is very simple dishes without any frills, and Greek chefs prepare them according to the recipes of their grandmothers or aunts - these dishes will definitely not surprise gourmets with their variety and taste.
Just think, a simple Greek moussaka, why be surprised?

However, I will give a few examples of the incredible popularity of Greek dishes..

Young Greek Chef Nikos Karvelas, who currently lives in New York, opened his family restaurant there, which has become a very fashionable establishment among the most sophisticated and expensive restaurants in America.
It is visited by many world celebrities such as Chris Cornell - the vocalist of Soundgarden, the famous singer Rihanna, David Blaine - the famous magician and magician, the Brazilian king of football Pele, the pop diva Madonna and many others.

As you know, world stars are very capricious in choosing products. For example, Madonna does not eat meat, but only fish or seafood, and Pele hates eggplant. But meat and eggplant are the main ingredients of Greek moussaka, and yet celebrities order it among other Greek dishes. How so?

Nikos believes that everyone has the right to their quirks, and world celebrities, and ordinary visitors, so he tries to please any client. Upon learning that Madonna wanted to try Greek moussaka, he replaced lamb with lobster meat for the pop diva, and eggplant for papaya for Pele. And then, he watched the surprise and delight on the faces of his customers when they tried his creations.

Charalambos Nikolaides, probably the only Greek living in far northern Alaska. He taught the Eskimos and Aleuts to eat moussaka, tzatziki, spanakopita and other Greek dishes.. Surprisingly, it's true!

Charalambos, having arrived at the festival of ice sculptures, held annually in the small town of Fairbanks, was fascinated by its harsh northern beauty and decided to stay here. He bought himself a small wooden frame, where he settled with his wife.

Here they opened a Greek restaurant, which is in constant demand among local residents, who liked all Greek dishes, and especially moussaka. They consider it the best delicacy in the world..

And on the other side of the world in distant Australia in 2012, a book was published that became the bestseller of the year and this is not a detective story, not an adventure, not a fashionable fantasy or an essay on psychology.

The book is called "My Greek Cuisine", and its author is an Australian of Greek origin Maria Bale who was born in Melbourne. Her mother is a Greek woman from the Peloponnese.
Maria explains the success of her book very simply:

“I really wanted to give my children the treasure left to me by my mother - the recipes for traditional Greek dishes that she has been collecting for many years.
When I wrote it, I realized that this is a gift not only to them, but to all my readers who love Greek cuisine.”

And the recipe that flaunts on the front page of her book is Greek moussaka.

Well, it's time for us to arrange this little celebration of taste, cook and treat ourselves and our loved ones with this wonderful dish!

Recipe for classic Greek moussaka with eggplant, potatoes and minced meat

I remember from childhood that the preparation of moussaka in our house began with disputes between my grandmother and her girlfriends whether they put potatoes in moussaka or not. Some argued that they must be put, others that real moussaka is prepared only with eggplant.

I think that such disputes arose not only in our kitchen, but also in many other Greek houses. They continue to this day. But nevertheless, whether or not my grandmother put potatoes in the dish, it has always been for me one of the most favorite ones prepared by her. I cook moussaka with potatoes for my family. My husband and kids love this dish.

To prepare moussaka we need:

1 kg eggplant (about 6-7 medium fruits);
400-450 grams of potatoes (about 5 pieces of medium size);
100 grams of grated Parmesan cheese;
2-3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs;
2 tablespoons .

For the meat filling:

500 gr ground beef;
250 g of minced pork (who does not eat pork, you can replace it with chicken or lamb);
half a tea cup of olive oil;
2 medium sized onions;
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped;
a little green parsley:
400 gr. fresh tomatoes;
1 tablespoon of tomato paste;
half a glass of white dry;
1 teaspoon of sugar;
1 cinnamon stick;
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg;
1 bay leaf;
4 allspice peas, salt and black pepper to taste.

For the bechamel sauce:

5 tablespoons of butter;
5 tablespoons of flour;
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg;
150 gr grated hard low-melting cheese;
half a teaspoon of salt;
1 liter of milk;
a little olive oil 1-2 tablespoons.

Preparation of all components

1. First of all, let's prepare the eggplant. Wash, peel the stalks and cut them into medium-sized slices of about 1 cm. In a bowl, make a salt brine for 0.5 liters of water, 1 tablespoon of coarse salt, and soak the eggplants in it for 1 hour so that all the bitterness comes out of them. While the eggplant is taking a salt bath, we put a deep frying pan on the fire and add 2 tablespoons of oil to it.

2. We rub 2 medium onions on a coarse grater, and fry them until golden brown, then put the mixed minced meat in the pan and mix well with the fried onions. Add chopped garlic, and then dry wine and again mix everything well.

3. While the wine is evaporating, peel the tomatoes and three of them on a fine grater, put the resulting mass in a pan with the minced meat and mix everything well again. Dissolve the tomato paste in water and pour into the pan.

4. We put our spices: nutmeg, bay leaf, allspice, cinnamon. Salt, pepper and add sugar to taste, reduce the heat to a minimum and leave the mixture to simmer until all the liquid has evaporated.

5. Before turning off the fire, take out the cinnamon, bay leaf and allspice from the mixture, sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and mix the mixture again.

6. We take out the eggplants, wash them in cold water, put them in a colander and let the water drain.

7. Peel, wash and cut the potatoes into medium-sized circles and put the potatoes on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and lightly greased with olive oil. We put the baking sheet in the oven preheated to 180 degrees for 10 minutes.

8. We do the same procedure with eggplants previously dried with a paper towel.

Attention! Many Greek housewives fry eggplants and potatoes in a frying pan, in a small amount of oil on both sides for several minutes.
In any case, whichever method you choose, remember: the vegetables must be brought to half-cooked so that they do not fall apart during the assembly of the casserole itself.

Now you can start preparing the bechamel sauce.

How to make bechamel sauce

You need to find non-stick deep dishes. We put it on the fire and melt the butter. It should not boil, but only soften.
Pour our flour carefully, but not all at once, but gradually, intensively mixing it with a whisk so that the mixture does not burn. And immediately pour in small portions of milk (preferably hot), without ceasing to mix the mixture so that thick lumps do not form.
Let the sauce boil over low heat and thicken to the consistency of a very thick semolina porridge. Throughout the cooking of the sauce, it must be constantly stirred with a whisk. Don't forget to add some salt, grated nutmeg and some grated cheese to the sauce.

Everything, our bechamel is ready!

It's time to assemble our casserole.

Many housewives add eggs to bechamel, but I don’t, meanwhile, the sauce turns out to be very tender and tasty. Try it, I think you will like my recipe without excess cholesterol.

How to assemble and bake moussaka

3. Spread the meat mixture on top of the eggplant, spreading it over the entire surface - this is our third layer of the casserole.

4. And the last top layer is bechamel. It is necessary to lay out the sauce very evenly and beautifully so that the bechamel is well distributed over the entire surface of the minced meat, for this we level it with a spatula or knife.
Drizzle the top of the bechamel with olive oil and sprinkle generously with grated cheese.

5. We cover the surface of the moussaka with baking paper or aluminum sheet, and put it in the oven, heated to 180 degrees, for one hour. After about forty-five minutes, remove the baking sheet and let the crust brown well.
Our moussaka is ready!

6. Turn off the oven, remove the baking sheet and let the casserole cool slightly. Then we cut it into portions. Put them on a plate and decorate with herbs and tomatoes.
You can serve the dish on the table.

Bon appetit everyone! Kali orexy!

The recipe for real Greek moussaka was shared by Ekaterina Aravani

Moussaka- one of the most popular Greek dishes. And this popularity is not accidental. It is the most famous dish of Greece, a kind of calling card. Anyone who has ever visited Greece, certainly tried this delicious dish. And I am sure that I have become a fan of this dish forever.

Moussaka is a type of vegetable casserole with meat, common in the Mediterranean and Balkan countries. This dish is prepared differently everywhere, but in any case, it always turns out delicious. It is not difficult to prepare it at all, all products for its preparation are always sold in the store. Therefore, learning how to cook such a dish is simply necessary. After all, sometimes you want to please your loved ones with a delicious unusual dish.

History has not preserved to us information about who and when invented this dish. For the first time, a description of a dish similar to it appeared in the 13th century, and it was called "maguma", a dish of Arabic origin. Now in Arab countries, moussaka is called a cold salad, which is made from tomatoes and eggplant.

In all other countries, it is a hot dish. There are different options for its preparation, even in Greece, each housewife prepares it in her own way. Just like our hostesses do not have a single recipe for borscht. How much you eat borscht in every house, you will not find the same.

How I Learned to Make Moussaka. For as long as I can remember, we have always cooked this dish at home.

My mother comes from Kazakhstan, from a small town where for some reason a lot of Greeks lived. My father is from Uzbekistan, and he is half Greek himself. Greeks also lived there, and my grandmother was married to a Greek.

So we had the opportunity to join the Greek cuisine. My father was very fond of this delicious dish, and often asked me to cook it. I always did it with pleasure, because I myself am a big fan of hers.

Fortunately, we lived in Uzbekistan, and there were no problems with good ripe vegetables. And for its preparation, only the ripest vegetables are needed. This dish has always turned out great.

Someday later, I will share with you a recipe for making Bulgarian moussaka. And today we will cook moussaka in Greek And vegetarian moussaka.

Moussaka in Greek - a classic recipe

We will need the following products:

beef + lamb 700 gr.
eggplant - 1 kg.
potatoes - 4-5 pcs.
tomatoes -3-4 pcs.
bow -2 pcs.
garlic 3-4 cloves
hard cheese - 250 gr. (original parmesan)
olive oil
dry white wine - 0.5 tbsp.
breadcrumbs
parsley
spices - basil, rosemary, dried ginger, nutmeg, paprika
red capsicum
salt, ground black pepper

For the bechamel sauce

milk - 1 liter
butter - 100-120 gr. butter
flour -3/4 cup
nutmeg
salt - 0.5 tsp

Cooking:

Cut eggplants into long plates 1 cm thick, sprinkle them generously with salt. Mix gently and leave for 30 minutes.
Prepare a mixed minced beef and lamb.
Onion cut into small cubes. Fry it in a small amount of oil until golden brown, add minced meat. Fry well, stirring constantly.
Add garlic and pour in wine. Stirring occasionally, wait for the wine to evaporate.
In the meantime, pour boiling water over the tomatoes and remove the skin from them. Then grind and add to minced meat.
Simmer over low heat, then add spices and a piece of red capsicum. Don't forget to salt and pepper.
You can add a little hot water to make the stuffing better stewed.
Simmer the minced meat until it becomes homogeneous, without lumps. Then add chopped parsley, mix and close the lid.
Wash eggplants in cold water. Place them in a colander to drain excess liquid. Then lay out on paper towels.
Peel potatoes, cut into 0.5 cm thick plates. Put on a baking sheet on greased baking paper.
Preheat oven, bake potatoes for 10-15 minutes.
During this time, fry the eggplant in batches in oil in a frying pan. If you like dishes with less oil, then eggplant can also be baked in the oven.
If you fry eggplants, put them on a wire rack after frying to drain excess oil.

Preparing Bechamel Sauce:

Melt the butter in a saucepan, gradually add the flour, stirring constantly. Lightly fry, make sure that it does not burn.
Gradually pour in hot milk, stirring constantly (use a whisk).
Add a pinch of nutmeg, it gives a nice nutty flavor to the whole dish.
Simmer the sauce over low heat until it thickens. At the same time, do not forget to stir constantly. Then remove from fire.
We begin to collect moussaka into shape. It is better to use a glass form with large sides.
Lubricate the form with oil, sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Spread potatoes, sprinkle with grated cheese.
Then a layer of eggplant, and also sprinkle with cheese.
Now it's the turn of minced meat, lay it out and distribute it evenly.
Spread bechamel sauce on top and sprinkle with grated cheese.
We heat the oven to a temperature of 180 degrees.
We cover the form with foil, cover the edges tightly. And put the mold in the oven.
Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil.
Bake for another 15 minutes, during which time the moussaka will be covered on top with a beautiful, ruddy, fragrant crust.
Remove from oven, cover with a towel and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes.

Here is our delicious moussaka in Greek and ready. Spread on plates in portions, be sure to include all the layers in the portion. And try to taste this wonderfully delicious dish!

The nuances of making moussaka:

For moussaka, it is very important which vegetables you use. Vegetables give her the main taste, and for this they must be ripe. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to make this dish in our area, as in Greece, especially in winter. From greenhouse vegetables, it will not turn out so tasty.
Therefore, I do not buy tomatoes in the winter, but use my own, cooked tomato paste. See the link for how to do this.
Some housewives do not put potatoes in moussaka, and make it only from eggplant and minced meat. Yes, you can do this, but in winter I always add potatoes. Eggplants are expensive in winter, and not so tasty, but our potatoes are just what we need!
When fried, eggplants take a lot of oil, so pour a little oil. Top up slowly as needed. And then be sure to let the oil drain.
A good addition to moussaka is tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes. This sauce is prepared in a matter of minutes: you just need to chop the peeled tomatoes in a blender with salt, add chopped garlic, herbs and half a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Preparing Vegetarian Moussaka:

My son is a vegetarian He stopped eating meat when he was 18 years old. We convinced him - we convinced him that meat should still be consumed. That a growing male body needs protein, and so on. But we failed to convince him. For the past 5 years he has not eaten any meat or fish at all.
Since at home I always cook a lot and tasty, I cannot leave my beloved child without delicious food. During this time, I have already learned how to cook almost all the dishes that we cook for ourselves and for him, but without meat.
Moussaka is just a very good case when the dish is equally tasty both with meat and without meat.
Vegetarian moussaka should be prepared in the same way as meat moussaka. We skip the step of adding minced meat.
And at the moment when the tomatoes are fried, I add the Bulgarian pepper, cut into slices.
Everything else is unchanged. Try it, it's very tasty!

Bon Appetit!

Bulgarian moussaka recipe with meat and potatoes

We will need:

meat -400-500 gr
potatoes - 1 kg
onion - 2 pcs. large
Bulgarian pepper - 2 pcs.
tomato sauce - 5 tbsp. spoons
tomato - 1 pc. (large)
garlic - 2 - 3 cloves
spices for meat
salt, ground black pepper to taste
red capsicum
vegetable oil - 4-5 tbsp. spoons (80-100 gr)

For filling:

egg -4 pcs.
milk - 1 glass
butter - 50 gr (2 tablespoons)
flour - 2 tbsp. spoons (optional)
salt - 0.5 tsp
ground black pepper - a pinch

Training:

Meat - wash beef or veal, dry with a paper towel and cut into slices with a side of about 2-2.5 cm. There is no need to cut it smaller, all the juice will flow out of the meat and it will turn out tough. I used a piece of beef shoulder. I love this part, it cooks quickly and always comes out soft and juicy.
Onion cut into half rings thinner. I use large onions, just cut them as thin as possible. During cooking, all the onion will evaporate and it will not be visible at all in the finished dish. And of course, it will not be felt either.
Cut the bell pepper into cubes with a side of a little more than 1 cm.
4. Peel the potatoes and temporarily cover with water. Subsequently, before laying in the dish, there will be time to cut it. We will cut the same cubes with a side of about 1 cm.
Pour boiling water over the tomato and hold in it for 1 minute. I have a large tomato, so I cut it into two halves. Drain water, let cool slightly. Then remove the skin. It comes off easily and simply. Then cut the tomatoes into fairly large slices.
Crush the garlic on the board with the flat side of the knife, remove the peel, and cut into smaller pieces in random order. During cooking, it will also all evaporate, sharing its flavor with the whole dish. Garlic I have a fresh crop, with a good smell.
Let's prepare the spices. I use spice mix. Firstly, ziru (cumin), I really love this delicious-smelling spice. I cook a pinch of it. The second pinch I have is a mixture of spices. I make it in advance, and I have it universal for many dishes. Convenient, once mixed, and then use. This mixture includes such universal spice components as ground coriander and rosemary, paprika, a little turmeric, cardamom, thyme, oregano, a mixture of herbs - parsley, dill, basil.
We also prepare salt and pepper in advance. Initially, I use half a tablespoon of salt, pepper - to taste. Then I salt and pepper the filling as well. And be sure to cook a piece of red hot pepper. How would Balkan cuisine be without it? It needs to be added at least a little. I have a rather hot pepper, and so I cut off a 1 cm thick piece with a knife.
Cooking dishes with a thick bottom. You can use a large non-stick frying pan with high sides, or a cauldron. In such dishes, the entire dish is heated evenly and nothing will burn.
We will also need a baking sheet, in the second stage of cooking we will cook in it.
We boil a kettle of water, we need boiling water.
We take out the butter in advance and leave it at room temperature so that it melts.

And so, when we have everything ready, you can start cooking without being distracted. But I confess to you honestly, I never single out the preparation in advance, and the cooking process itself. Mine, clean, cut everything in the "process". This recipe is familiar to me, so I already know that I will have time for everything. But if you are cooking the recipe for the first time, do all the preparation beforehand and when you cook, focus only on the process itself.

Moussaka with bell pepper

Let's prepare another version of moussaka, this time adding bell pepper to the recipe.

We need products:

Potatoes - 6 pcs. medium size
Eggplant - 2 pcs. large size
Ground beef - 300 g
Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
Onion - 1 bulb
Bulgarian pepper - 1 pc.
Tomato paste - 2 tbsp. spoons
Hard cheese - 200 g
Dried oregano (optional) - 1 teaspoon
Mint dried or fresh (optional) - 1 tsp. spoon or small twig
Greens - to taste
Olive oil - 100 ml
Salt, ground black pepper - to taste

For sauce:

Flour - 2 tbsp. spoons
Butter - 50 g
Milk - 2 cups
Eggs - 2 pcs.

We prepare moussaka as follows:

We clean the potatoes, cut them into thin slices, fry in olive oil, be sure to salt. Then spread on the bottom of a deep form or pan.
Also fry the chopped onions. Finely chop the bell pepper and put in the fry along with the onion, fry for a few minutes. Add minced meat and diced tomatoes.
All this is fried for 5 minutes. Mint and oregano can be added if desired. Salt and add pepper. Then add tomato paste and simmer for another 20 minutes under a lid over low heat. 1-2 minutes before the end of the stew, add finely chopped greens.
The minced meat for moussaka is ready. Lay it on top of the potato slices.
Now let's prepare the eggplant. We cut them into rings about 5 mm thick. Salt and put in a bowl for 15 minutes to glass bitterness. Then rinse lightly and squeeze out excess water. After that, fry the eggplants on both sides in a small amount of olive oil, before baking they should be soft, almost ready.
Lay the eggplant on top of the minced meat.
Preparing bechamel sauce for moussaka. Lightly fry the flour in butter (do not fry until dark). Add in parts, stirring constantly, milk. So cook until thickened.
After that, remove from heat, cool for a few minutes and break the eggs into the sauce. Salt and mix well.
Pour the moussaka prepared for baking with the sauce. Sprinkle grated cheese on top.
Put in the oven and bake for 1 hour at 180 degrees.

Moussaka vegetarian

Among the adherents of vegetarianism, you can also meet many gourmets. And they will surely appreciate this moussaka recipe, in which potatoes are cooked in layers with onions, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes and garlic. The dish is very tasty and fragrant.

Ingredients:

5 potatoes;
2 medium onions;
1 large carrot;
1 large bell pepper;
2 medium eggplants;
4 tomatoes;
2 cloves of garlic;
olive oil;
salt and pepper to taste;
dry mediterranean herbs;
optional bay leaf with allspice.

Cooking method:

We cut the eggplants into circles and, sprinkling abundantly with salt, let them stand so that the juice drains from them, which then needs to be washed off with cold water.
We clean the potatoes, cut them into the same circles as eggplants, and spread them in an even layer in a heavy-bottomed pan greased with olive oil. Salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil.
Cut the onion into thin rings, spread it in an even layer on the potatoes, salt and pepper.
We clean the carrots and cut them into circles, put them on the onion and also salt and pepper, sprinkle with olive oil.
We clean the Bulgarian pepper and cut into rings, salt and pepper, sprinkle with olive oil.
Finely chop the greens, chop the garlic.
Next, laying out the eggplants, salt and pepper them, sprinkle with oil. And finally, the last layer lay out the tomatoes, cut into thin circles. Pour 100 ml of water into the pan and put it on a slow fire. When about 5 minutes remain until the end of cooking, add greens with garlic.

MUSAKA IN GREEK IN THE MULTICOOKER - VERY SIMPLE

Moussaka is being prepared in Greek in a slow cooker from the following ingredients:

0.5 kg of minced meat;
2 zucchini;
2 eggplants;
2 tomatoes;
a bunch of greens;
flour - 2 tbsp. l.;
a spoonful of butter;
a glass of milk;
olive oil - 3-5 tbsp. l;
set of favorite spices.

Cooking:

Eggplants and zucchini are washed and dried with a napkin.
Eggplants are cut into strips, zucchini into cubes, greens are chopped. Minced meat mixed with spices and salt is fried in the "Frying" mode, 5-7 minutes before the end of the process, puree made from tomatoes is added. Zucchini is separately fried in the same mode.
Eggplants are cooked in the "Baking" mode (20 minutes) and also set aside separately, the only thing that is common between these processes is that vegetable oil is used for all ingredients, which initially needs to be divided into three parts.
The Greek dish moussaka in most cases involves the use of an oil-based sauce. It is melted, poured with milk, salt and spices are added and, while stirring, flour is poured. Cook the sauce until it thickens properly.
It remains to form the dish and bring it to readiness: the ingredients are laid in layers on the bottom of the bowl in the order listed. Eggplant, minced meat, zucchini, greens and everything is poured with sauce on top.
Greek moussaka with sauce is baked in the “Baking” mode for an hour, after which the dish can be presented to slightly cooled guests.

When traveling around Greece, tourists do not miss the opportunity to get acquainted with the local cuisine. Many people like the piquant taste of traditional Mediterranean dishes, therefore, returning to their native land, travelers often try to repeat the creations of Greek chefs at home. Among the popular dishes, Greek salad, Tzatziki, Taramasalata and Moussaka in Greek with eggplant stand out, the recipe of which we will give in today's article. After reading the material, you will learn how to cook classic Moussaka, as well as what variations of this dish are found.

What is Moussaka in Greek

In every restaurant, cafe or tavern in Greece, traditional Moussaka is served - a layered Greek casserole with eggplant, minced meat and cream sauce. In appearance and cooking technology, it is very similar to Italian lasagna, with the only difference being that Greeks use vegetables instead of pasta sheets. This dish is also associated with French cuisine, because the casserole is poured with the famous bechamel sauce.

This combination of European taste notes with traditional Greek products is due to the fact that the creator of Moussaka, chef Nikos Tselemendis, not only loved national cuisine, but also appreciated the culinary finds of other countries. As a result of the hobbies and experiments of the Greek chef, the classic recipe for Greek Moussaka with eggplant and bechamel sauce was born. Consider the detailed composition of this original recipe.

Ingredients

It is difficult to surprise modern gourmets, so classic recipes are constantly undergoing changes in the composition of the ingredients or the method of preparation. We will also get acquainted with the variations of the Greek casserole, but first we will consider the original classics.

Traditional Moussaka is made from eggplant and minced lamb. Lamb is the favorite meat of the Greeks, and will not be replaced by other types of meat delicacies. Beef, pork, chicken and turkey are a completely different taste for a Greek dish.

Here is a complete list containing the main ingredients of Moussaka:

Eggplant - 1 kg;
Minced lamb - 500-700 gr.;
Onions - 2 pcs.;
Tomatoes- 3 pcs.;
Butterolive - 2 tablespoons;
Cheese - 100 gr.;
Dry white wine - 150 ml.

In addition, you need to stock up on spices and products for making the sauce.

The composition and proportions of spices are completely dependent on the preferences of the cook. Sometimes eggplant moussaka contains only ground pepper, salt and nutmeg. But in most cases, the dish is seasoned with a whole mixture of herbs. For a rich taste, a sprig of cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, lemon zest, bay leaf, salt, red pepper and regular ground pepper are added to the minced meat.

Greek casserole is poured with bechamel sauce, for which you will need the following products:

Milk - 0.5 l.;
Butter - 90 gr.;
Egg - 2 pcs.;
Cheese - 150 gr;
Flour - 2 tbsp.

General principles of preparation

The preparation of Moussaka is a rather lengthy process, consisting of several preparatory steps. The table below contains a description of each stage and important notes on the preparation technology.

Greek moussaka with eggplant
№	Stage	Description	Nuances and remarks
1	Sliced eggplant.	At the discretion of the cook, you can cut the vegetables lengthwise into large slices, or across the rounds. Most cooks prefer to peel the skin, but in the classic recipe eggplant is added to the dish with the skin on. In the process of cooking, it softens and does not interfere with enjoying the finished dish.	So that the vegetables do not taste bitter, after cutting them, hold them for 20-30 minutes in a “salt bath” (2 tablespoons of salt per 1 liter of water). After the procedure, dry the slices with a paper towel.
2	Tomato preparation.	Tomatoes are peeled and cut into circles. Before assembling the layers, the tomatoes are sautéed a little in a pan.	To easily get rid of the skin, dip the cut vegetables in boiling water for 1 minute, then pour over with cold water and remove the skin.
3	Roasting and stewing (onions, minced meat, tomatoes, wine, spices).	Peeled and finely chopped onions are laid out in a heated frying pan. With the appearance of a golden color, add minced meat to the onion, mix thoroughly and continue to fry. When the meat begins to release juice, it is seasoned with spices and poured with wine and water. The meat component is left to stew until the liquid evaporates.	Products are fried exclusively in olive oil. Lamb is used as minced meat, but, in extreme cases, it can be replaced with beef.
4	Roast eggplant	While the meat is stewing, it is necessary to fry the prepared eggplant slices in a separate pan.	Fry over high heat, no more than 1 minute for each side of the vegetable.
5	sauce preparation	Put butter in a frying pan and heat it up a little. Then flour is added to the butter and fried until golden brown. Slowly pour milk into the mixture, stir, and bring the mass to the consistency of liquid sour cream, after which it is removed from heat. Beat the eggs a little and quickly pour into the prepared mixture. It remains to add the grated cheese, season the sauce with nutmeg and salt, and mix thoroughly again.	The base is cooked over low heat, stirring constantly. Milk and eggs are added carefully so that they do not curdle ahead of time.
6	Assembly of layers	Prepared products are laid out in a baking dish in the following order: Eggplant (1/2 part); Minced meat (1/2); Tomatoes; eggplant; Ground meat; Bechamel sauce; Grated cheese. The dish is placed in a preheated oven and baked for 40-50 minutes at a temperature of 180 degrees.	Before serving, the vegetable casserole should be infused for 15-20 minutes.

This is how a traditional Greek dish is prepared. Now consider the popular variations of recipes.

Moussaka Recipes

In addition to the classic cooking method, there are many delicious variations of this dish. For example, Moussaka with eggplant and potatoes, lean casserole, Moussaka with rice and more than 14 recipes for cooking this dish in the oven. In addition, often not lamb or beef is used as meat, but chicken and pork. And the composition of spices for snacks is completely inexhaustible. Chili, cinnamon, garlic, dill and parsley, nutmeg, black pepper - Moussaka goes well with everything.

Classic Greek Moussaka with Eggplant and Potatoes

This variation differs from the classic Greek Moussaka with Minced Meat and Eggplant only in the presence of potatoes. The steps of the process are:

Coarsely chop the eggplant, potatoes and tomatoes. Bring the vegetables separately in a pan until half cooked.
Fry the minced meat, adding a little parsley, salt, garlic, as well as olive oil and pepper to it.
Prepare Bechamel. Fry flour in butter, slowly adding milk (500 ml) to the mixture. Remove the thickened mass from the heat and add beaten eggs (2 pcs.), Season with nutmeg and mix.
Put everything in layers: potatoes, eggplant, minced meat, tomatoes, again eggplant and minced meat. Pour over the sauce and add a topping of grated hard cheese (150 gr.). Put in the oven.

Moussaka is baked with potatoes for about 60-80 minutes.

Vegetarian (Lenten) moussaka in Greek

Cooking a classic eggplant Moussaka recipe means getting a huge portion of calories. If you are an adherent of a lighter and healthier diet, then you can change the composition of the products and cook vegetarian Moussaka.

Required Ingredients:

carrots (2),
potatoes (5),
celery (100g),
green beans (500g),
rice (half a cup)
eggs (4),
milk (200 ml),
olive or vegetable oil (50 ml),
onion (2).

Onions are finely chopped, carrots and celery are ground on a grater, after which the vegetables are put in a pan and fried. Rice, beans and potatoes are boiled separately. The finished beans are cut into pieces, and the potatoes are rubbed on a coarse grater. Prepared products are laid out in a form in layers, which are done in this order:

potato;
fried vegetables;
rice;
beans.

The sauce is made from a mixture of eggs and milk, but the classic Bechamel is also acceptable. Vegetarian Moussaka is baked for only 20 minutes at a temperature of 180 degrees.

For lean dishes, in addition to rice, beans or carrots, culinary specialists use other vegetables. Therefore, Moussaka with cabbage, bell pepper, pumpkin, green peas, etc. is not at all uncommon.

Moussaka Greek style with eggplant and zucchini

Many people like to combine zucchini and eggplant in Moussaka, so the dish turns out to be more juicy and rich.

Such a casserole with minced meat is being prepared (meat mixtures from lamb, beef or veal are acceptable), the difference is only in the number of vegetables. Zucchini are cut and cooked in the same way as eggplant, you can even fry vegetables together. The only thing to note is that zucchini should not be soaked in water or kept in salt, because. they will lose their consistency.

Variation with eggplant and rice

Another recipe for people who do not accept meat and high-calorie pastas. Moussaka rice is prepared a little differently, so a complete step-by-step instruction for preparing the dish is given.

Eggplants (2 pcs.) are peeled, cut into large chunks and fried. Spread the fried vegetables on paper to drain excess oil.
Rice (150 gr.) And white beans (300 gr.) Boil until tender and mix with each other.
Tomatoes (3 pcs.) Finely chopped and sautéed in a pan with herbs (to taste).
Prepared products are laid out in a mold in the following sequence: eggplant - tomatoes - rice and beans - tomatoes - eggplant. The dish is baked for 30 minutes.

Ready Moussaka is served without sauce, but with a sprinkling of fresh herbs.

A traditional Greek dish is cooked very tasty using a slow cooker. Thanks to the smooth heating of the bowl, Moussaka becomes more tender in taste.

Ingredients for the dish:

eggplant - 2 pcs,
onion - 1 pc,
minced meat - 500 gr,
eggs - 2 pcs,
cheese - 150 gr,
sour cream - 2 tbsp,
flour - 2 tbsp,
tomato paste - 1 tbsp,
butter - 1 tbsp,
garlic - 1 clove.

Cooking process

Cut eggplant into slices, stand for 20 minutes. in a salt bath, dry. Chop the onion and garlic, fry in the “Baking” mode until golden brown. Add the seasoned minced meat to the onion and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Fill the mixture with tomato paste, leave to languish in the same mode for 10 minutes

During this time, carefully mix the grated cheese, eggs and sour cream, achieving a homogeneous, thick mass. Open the bowl, put the eggplant on top of the minced meat and pour the sauce over the dish. Leave to cook for another 20 minutes until the vegetables are browned.

Moussaka with chicken and eggplant

Just as salads and casseroles with chicken are popular and tasty, so Greek Moussaka goes well with poultry meat. The cooking method is similar to the classic recipe, but instead of minced meat, chicken fillet is finely chopped and fried with vegetables. The dish is laid out in layers and poured with a sufficient amount of bechamel sauce.

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