Moussaka in Greek

Musaka - a very original, tasty and very useful traditional dish in many Mediterranean and Balkan countries, which necessarily include eggplant. Musak is also cooked in the Middle East. The classic Greek moussaka dish is a puff pastry, the bottom layer of which is eggplant with vegetable oil, the middle layer is lamb with slices of tomatoes, and the top layer is cabbage and sour cream sauce (or bechamel sauce). Also in moussaka, you can add mushrooms, potatoes and / or zucchini. In the countries of the Middle East, the moussaka is prepared in the form of a cold salad of eggplants and tomatoes.

Cooking moussaka

Ingredients:

Preparation:

First, the meat is cut into small pieces, as for aza or goulash, or, better, smaller - with a short thick straw. If we use ordinary cabbage, then cut it with short straws, if colored or broccoli - we disassemble on inflorescences. In a saucepan (or a thick-walled pan, or a deep pan), greased with butter, lay a layer of eggplant slices (they must be soaked for 20 minutes and rinsed with running water to go through bitter and dry). Then lay a layer of onions cut into rings or short straws, then - a layer of slices of tomatoes and zucchini, then - a layer of meat, and on top, maybe a layer of cabbage. However, it is possible to vary and repeat the layers, but the eggplants are certainly from the bottom. Each layer is slightly sprinkled with spices (evenly) and slightly salted. From the top we pour all the layers with vegetable oil, or it can be sour cream. Place the baking sheet or saucepan for about 40 minutes (or an hour) in an oven heated to medium temperature. Almost finished moussaka seasoned with crushed or chopped garlic (or pour garlic sauce) and send another 5 minutes to the oven. Ready moussaka sprinkled with herbs and served hot or warm.

What mousaka without sauce?

Moussaka sauce, served separately, can be garlic or garlic-sour, or (as best) consist of a mixture of vegetable oil, white wine, lemon juice, yolk or egg whites, ground garlic and dry spices.

Moussaka for meat eaters

It will be good and moussaka with minced meat, which can consist of meat from different animals (see above).

Ingredients:

Preparation:

This moussaka is prepared in the same way as the classical version, but in the middle there should be a layer of minced meat. For the sauce you can use lemon juice, sour cream or cream, wheat flour (it must be segregated separately), white wine, protein or egg yolk. You can sprinkle the moussaka with grated cheese for 5-8 minutes until ready, and then put the baking tray in the oven to make the cheese melted - it will be very tasty. To the mousaka is good to serve homemade table wine.