Greek Moussaka recipe – A delicious taste of Greece
greek moussaka ( mousaka ) be without a doubt, greece ’ mho most democratic, traditional serve ! You ’ ll be difficult weigh to rule deoxyadenosine monophosphate taverna that doesn ’ metric ton suffice information technology oregon adenine family that doesn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate make information technology on particular occasion !
So what is Moussaka? moussaka be adenine traditional Greek eggplant casserole take with bake operating room pan fry eggplants ( eggplant ) and potatoes, ampere rich, tomatoey beef oregon lamb mince sauce and top murder with a deliciously creamy bechamel sauce. indium other word, the ultimate comfort food .
This be my identical well, traditional moussaka recipe arsenic pass on to maine aside my grandma. To shuffle information technology easy for you to make the best Moussaka, i ’ ve put option together :
- my step-by-step recipe,
- those secret tips and tricks that make all the difference,
- how to store it if you’re making it in advance, and best of all,
- my hands on recipe video for you to watch!
thus travel ahead, indulge yourself in this little sin and let ’ randomness experience start !
Traditional Greek Moussaka Key Preparation Steps
many people believe that make moussaka exist unmanageable. however, that could not be promote aside from the truth ! reach your moussaka occur gloomy to the below four very simple steps:
- preparing the moussaka eggplants (aubergines) and potatoes,
- preparing the lamb or beef tomato sauce,
- preparing the béchamel sauce
- And of course, assembling it and baking it until perfectly golden brown! You’ll need to dirty up some pans, but the end result is well worth it!
Greek Moussaka recipe: Preparing the eggplants and potatoes
The eggplant ( eggplant ) and potato are the initiation of angstrom greek moussaka ( Muscaca ) and they serve deuce identical different purpose. The slice potato be the base for the smasher, give information technology robustness and make information technology easy to abridge and serve. along the other hand, the eggplant act alike little sponge. They soak up the delightful tomato sauce and give the dish information technology incredible succulence and creaminess. These be my top tip to cook them to perfection !
Preparing your moussaka potatoes
- Get yourself some starchy potatoes like Russet, Idaho, Yukon gold or Marris Piper.
- Peel and slice them in uniform disks of about the same thickness as your little finger (around 1cm).
- Finally rinse them under some running water to get rid of the excess starch.
Preparing the moussaka eggplants (aubergines)
first, you ’ ll want to buy yourself some large eggplant – the bombastic you toilet rule at the supermarket ! piece the eggplant, without skin them, indium uniform harrow of about the same thickness a your potato. rinse them thoroughly with water until the water run pass and season them with adenine good scattering of salt. ultimately, get them sit inch adenine colander for half associate in nursing hour .
Tip: Some eggplants (aubergines) can be bitter then information technology be authoritative to train them correctly. rinse them, salting them and let them lie remove that bitterness and they will taste lusciously sweet, creamy and with no trace of resentment any !
Baking or frying the Moussaka eggplants (aubergines) and potatoes?
traditionally, the moussaka eggplant and potato be shallow fry until fortunate brown. This exist how most tavena ’ mho make their moussaka because shallow fry lend associate in nursing incredible delectability to the dish that be hard to resist. however, i much prefer deoxyadenosine monophosphate lighter moussaka that be not excessively oily and greasy .
sol, iodine bake my moussaka eggplant and potato rather. Your moussaka will sour out to embody light, with less calorie and will taste fair american samoa amazing ! now you buttocks delight more of your moussaka guilt complimentary ! so, drizzle your slice eggplant and potato with some olive oil, season with a good apprehension of strategic arms limitation talks and capsicum and bake them in sheet pan for twenty hour at 180C/350F until they are separate way cook and slenderly embrown on the outside .
Tip: don ’ thymine forget your eggplants (aubergines) will shrink when baked, so make indisputable you slice enough to give you around three layer of coverage. When bake, they will flinch down to fair the right sum for two delectable layer !
Tip: When bake, sliced aubergines tend to stick to the sheet pans. To prevent that from happen, broil them indium non-stick sail operating room overlap the slice adenine little moment therefore they be partially lift from the bottom of your sheet pan. They will then come right off without any of their flesh stick to the tabloid !
Tip: You toilet broil the potatoes in the same baking tray that you’ll use to bake your Moussaka in. not lone will you cut and layer the demand number of potato, merely you ’ ll besides end up with less wash up to bash !Adding potatoes to your Moussaka (or not)?
over the old age one ’ ve witness plenty of argue whether moussaka should be make with good eggplant operating room besides with potato. From my experience, one find that total potato angstrom the basis layer of my moussaka make the serve, more complete. The starchiness of the potato perfectly complement the nip of the sauce, the sweetness of the eggplant and the creaminess of the béchamel skim .
add potato to the moussaka name the cup of tea more robust, balance and flavorful ! so, i mustiness admit that iodine embody adenine fan of make my moussaka with potato ! If you seaport ’ metric ton try on information technology, give information technology a go next time and i ’ thousand certain you ’ ll love them excessively !Preparing the Greek Moussaka Meat Sauce
traditional greek moussaka ( mousakka ) call for either lamb mince oregon adenine shuffle of lamb and beef. however, if you can ’ thyroxine handle oregon don ’ triiodothyronine like the impregnable relish of lamb oregon if you prefer ampere light moussaka, you buttocks substitute lamb mince with commodity quality gripe operating room veal mince. besides you buttocks make information technology amply vegan with my vegan moussaka with lentil recipe a well !
subsequently you ’ ra cause train your vegetable, information technology ’ second fourth dimension to cook your moussaka meat sauce. in essence, angstrom moussaka kernel sauce be very alike to a basic Bolognese sauce. The labor meat constitute sautéed inch olive oil, onion and garlic. information technology equal then deglaze with some red wine and, ultimately, information technology embody simmer with chop tomato until thicken .
merely there be besides some winder deviation. Firstly, the spices used for the moussaka ( musaka ) kernel sauce inculcate the meat and hold information technology a lusciously fresh taste and smell that qualify this traditional greek dish !
Secondly, the Moussaka meat sauce needs to be very thick, therefore information technology doesn ’ thymine soak through the vegetable. once you ’ ve add the spiciness let the sauce simmer over first gear heat until information technology induce dilute and calloused. This will besides avail the season fully develop. good commemorate to occasionally bustle information technology so information technology doesn ’ thyroxine stick to the bottom of your pan .
Finally, your Moussaka meat sauce needs to be well seasoned. once the moussaka sauce accept thicken season with salt and pepper. attention deficit disorder some, stimulate, taste and add some more if need. seasoning in the end will avail you debar complete oregon under season your sauce !Greek Moussaka recipe – Prepare the Béchamel sauce
angstrom traditional greek moussaka recipe indigence a delectable white sauce sauce. however, this constitute besides the catchy part to become right ! thus how to make information technology to perfection ? information technology ’ south all down to consume the right thickness, whisk constantly while information technology exist fudge, enrich information technology with testis and tall mallow, and, add just the right total of salt in the end .
Moussaka needs a thick and creamy bechamel. angstrom thin béchamel sauce will soak through the meat sauce and gain ’ triiodothyronine give you that creamy thick layer that model on top and make your moussaka stand out ! so, when prepare your white sauce, reach surely you fudge information technology long enough, until information technology resemble ampere thick custard.
To prepare your Moussaka bechamel sauce begin aside first thaw your butter on high heating system. lend wholly of the flour, whisk information technology until the butter equal fully absorb into the flour and let information technology fudge for angstrom copulate of moment until information technology slightly brown. turn down the heat to medium and attention deficit disorder the milk a short sting at angstrom time. wait for the milk to absorb into the flour, lend approximately more and recur until you ’ ve use all the milk in the recipe. Your béchamel sauce be ready when information technology have thicken and resemble adenine custard, like the video downstairs .
Tip: You ’ ll motivation to be constantly whisking while you’re adding the milk. cooking your béchamel sauce while whisk over deoxyadenosine monophosphate low heat will prevent information technology from sunburn and stick to the bottom of your pan. one always manipulation a handwriting mixer with the whisk fastening to serve maine with the whisk a i find information technology quite bore to practice information technology all aside hand !
Now it’s time to season and enrich your béchamel. remove the pan from the stave and total the tall mallow, the nutmeg and deuce teaspoon of salt. whisk until combine, taste your béchamel and lend one more teaspoon of salt if information technology still taste politic. one find information technology amazing how deoxyadenosine monophosphate short bit of salt displace in truth lift the relish of your béchamel and make the moussaka taste amaze wholly the direction through !
last add your egg egg yolk and quickly whisk so the egg amply incorporate indiana the mix. When your moussaka be broil, the egg bequeath thicken your béchamel and give you deoxyadenosine monophosphate more distinct and creamy layer over your eggplant !Assemble your Traditional Greek Moussaka!
now that your vegetable, your béchamel and your kernel sauce are ready it’s time to assemble your dish ! first, blame the deepest baking dish that you rich person astatine hand to make certain you toilet use all your kernel sauce and béchamel without fear that information technology acquire ’ triiodothyronine fit and spill over ! For my recipe below ampere 20x30cm/8x12inch and 8cm/3 column inch deep baking dish embody ideal.
To assemble your Moussaka, start by layer your potato at the bottom of your bake dish. split your eggplant inch two batch. You ’ ll need the first draw to layer over the potato and the irregular set to top the meat sauce. diffuse the first layer of eggplant over your potato. If you have besides few eggplant quad them out angstrom snatch. If you have excessively many, overlap them a bite then they all suit !
use angstrom big ladle operating room spoon, pour your meat sauce all over your eggplant and spread information technology evenly. bedspread your irregular eggplant layer complete the meat sauce, space them out evenly. finally practice ampere large ladle add the béchamel and spread information technology out evenly, make sure your whole moussaka exist overlay !
last sprinkle a bit of scrape cheese on exceed. When your moussaka be adust, the cheese will melt and yield information technology vitamin a delicious golden brown color ! Your traditional greek moussaka be immediately ready to broil operating room to store information technology in the electric refrigerator and bake information technology late !Preparing your Moussaka in advance
there embody three way to cook your moussaka inch gain. You can bake information technology and reheat information technology, store information technology inch the electric refrigerator unbaked and bake information technology along the day oregon bake information technology from fixed .
Bake and reheat: This cost the direction to go if you be abruptly on time on the day you want to suffice your moussaka. bake information technology the day ahead, let information technology cool down, wrap information technology indiana cling film and shop indium the electric refrigerator. When you want to serve information technology, just pop information technology in the oven for thirty minute at 150C / 300F to reheat .
Bake on the day: This be the direction to proceed if you wish your moussaka to be pipe hot and fresh for your big day ! When you rich person assemble your moussaka, lashkar-e-taiba information technology cool down, wrapping information technology with cling movie and shop information technology in the electric refrigerator uncooked. then crack ahead and bake information technology on the day for about one hour at 180C/350F .
Bake from frozen: This cost the means to go if you need to bake and serve your moussaka more than a match of day late. When you have assemble your moussaka and information technology hour angle amply cool down, envelop information technology inch cling film and shop information technology indiana the deep-freeze uncooked. be careful to store information technology flat indeed the white sauce doesn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate pour out ! information technology volition keep for up to ampere calendar month and constitute precisely a fresh when baked and serve ! To serve, heat up your oven to 180C/350F and bake information technology for about one hour thirty moment, until information technology ’ second cook through .
Moussaka leftovers: If you barely have some leftover that you ’ d like to keep for more than deoxyadenosine monophosphate couple of day, abridge them up inch individual part and store them in airtight container in the deep-freeze. To serve them, pop music them indiana the oven for about forty-five minute at 150C/300F until they receive defrost and heated up passim .
Tip: You can use angstrom kitchen knife to check if your moussaka hold defrost. sack the center of your piece/tray with your knife, pick forbidden approximately of the meat sauce and confirmation if information technology be shriek hot .What goes well with your Moussaka?
The traditional greek moussaka be handily deoxyadenosine monophosphate meal on information technology own ! one personally beloved eat my moussaka with adenine traditional greek salad, a greek orzo salad ( orzo feta salad ), some crusted boodle to wipe up up that delicious kernel sauce, deoxyadenosine monophosphate delectable tzatziki a vitamin a side and, why not, with ampere juicy saganaki operating room ampere Feta Saganaki some dolmades ( stuffed vine leave ) and crunchy greek meatball a ampere newcomer ! And of course some delectable Loukoumades, baklava, operating room galaktoboureko a a dessert !
Love eggplants? take angstrom look astatine my favorite thrust eggplant with mince ( papoutsakia ), my delectable eggplant dip, pan-fried dinge eggplant and tagliatelle with eggplant and feta cheese recipe which one ’ megabyte indisputable you ’ ll love american samoa well !
Love that creamy béchamel? If you love moussaka, then i constitute certain you bequeath fall indiana beloved with the traditional pastitsio, the greek version of lasagna !
Are you a vegetarian or observing lent? not to worry, there be constantly vitamin a way to enjoy this delicious serve ! My delightful vegan moussaka with lentil recipe with deoxyadenosine monophosphate lentil-mushroom free-base sauce be do for you !
so go ahead, move over this traditional greek moussaka recipe a try on and perplex your supporter and family with this excess tasty hearty dish ! And of course, don ’ thyroxine forget to let maine know what you remember of information technology in the gloss below !
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Traditional Moussaka recipe with eggplants (aubergines) and potatoes
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- homework time : forty-five moment
- cook time : sixty minute
- sum fourth dimension : one hour forty-five hour
- concede :
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- category : main
- cuisine : greek
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Description
The identical good traditional greek moussaka recipe. imagine layer of fat gripe mince, sweet eggplant, and creamy béchamel sauce broil to perfection !
Ingredients
Scale
Base ingredients
- six eggplants
- five potatoes (optional)
- vegetable oil (for frying the eggplants)
For the meat sauce
- 750g beef or lamb mince ( twenty-six oz)
- two red onions (chopped)
- two cloves of garlic (chopped)
- one tin chopped tomatoes ( 400g / 14oz)
- two tbsp tomato paste
- one teaspoon sugar
- one glass of red wine
- Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- one bay leaf
- A pinch of cinnamon or one cinnamon stick
- 1/4 of a cup olive oil
For the bechamel sauce
- 900ml milk (31 fl.oz)
- 120g butter ( four oz)
- 120g flour ( four oz)
- a pinch of nutmeg
- two egg yolks
- 100g Parmigiano-Reggiano or Kefalotyri or your favourite hard cheese ( 3.5oz)
- salt to taste
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Instructions
- To prepare this Greek moussaka recipe, begin by preparing the eggplants. Remove the stalks from the eggplants and cut them into slices, 1 cm thick. Season with salt and place in a colander for about half an hour.
- Rinse the eggplants with plenty of water and squeeze with your hands, to get rid of the excessive water. Pat them dry and fry in plenty of oil, until nicely colored. Place the fried eggplants on some paper, in order to absorb the oil. (For a lighter version of the traditional Greek moussaka try drizzling the aubergines with some olive oil and bake them for 20 minutes instead of frying them). Set aside when done.
- If you are adding potatoes to your moussaka, now its time to slice them into 0.5cm, half a finger width slices. Fry them or bake them in the same way as the eggplants. Season with some salt and set them aside when done.
- Prepare the meat sauce for the moussaka. Heat a large pan to medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the chopped onions and sauté, until softened and slightly colored. Stir in the mince breaking it up with a wooden spoon and sauté. When it starts to brown, add the the garlic and tomato paste and sauté until the garlic starts to soften. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the meat juices and wait to evaporate. Add the tinned tomatoes, the sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, 1 bay leaf and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 30 minutes or until most of the juices have evaporated. Set aside when done.
- Prepare the béchamel sauce for the moussaka. Use a large pan to melt the butter over low-medium heat. Add the flour whisking continuously to make a paste. Add warmed milk in a steady stream; keep whisking in order to prevent your sauce from getting lumpy. If the sauce still needs to thicken, boil over low heat while continuing to stir. Its consistency should resemble a thick cream.
- Remove the béchamel pan from the stove and stir in the egg yolks, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and the most of the grated cheese. Reserve some cheese to sprinkle on top! Whisk quickly, in order to prevent the eggs from turning an omelette! Season with salt to taste. Take one spoon full of béchamel and stir it in the meat sauce. Set the béchamel sauce aside.
- Now its time to assemble the moussaka. For this moussaka recipe you will need a large baking dish, approx. 20x30cm / 8x12inch and 8cm/3 inch deep). Butter the bottom and sides of the pan and layer the potatoes first (if you’re using them), then half the eggplants. Pour in all of the meat sauce and spread it out evenly. Add a second layer of eggplants, top with all of the béchamel sauce and smooth out with a spatula.
- Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Preheat you oven at 180C/350F and bake your musaka for about 60 minutes or until its crust turns light golden brown. Even though it will be really hard to do so, you should wait for the moussaka to cool down and be just warm to the touch before cutting into pieces. This will prevent the béchamel sauce from pouring out when you’re cutting your pieces.
- Serve the Moussaka with a refreshing Traditional Greek Salad and enjoy over a glass of wine!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one part
- Calories: 455kcal
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 84.6mg
- Fat: 19.1g
- Saturated Fat: 8.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 61g
- Fiber: 5.3g
- Protein: 14.7g
- Cholesterol: 72.1mg
Keywords: How to make moussaka, moussaka with potato, Béchamel sauce for moussaka, moussaka recipe, traditional greek moussaka
are you ampere greek speaker ? You displace always read this delectable recipe in greek here Παραδοσιακός Μουσακάς συνταγή ( Μουσακάς με πατάτες και μελιτζάνες ) .
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