Moussaka its traditional dishes are the inhabitants of the Balkans and the Middle East. For example, the first mention of muguma dish, the recipe of which is very similar to the classic Greek, occurs in Arabic cookbook 13th century.
Like all national cuisine dishes, recipes vary depending on the characteristics of the regions, where they cook the dish. Thus, classical Greek musaka three layer consists of a lower layer of eggplant with olive oil, mutton layer (sometimes veal) with tomatoes and a top layer of white sauce bechamel, sometimes with the addition of other vegetables - onions, potatoes or mushrooms. In Arab countries, mousaka served cold and looks more like Italian salad Caponata. In the Balkans, instead of the eggplant often use tomatoes. In Greece, moussaka is traditionally served with feta cheese, green salad leaves, rustic whole grain bread and red wine. We offer you to cook and is a simple and very tasty dish.
INGREDIENTS
• large eggplant - 1 pc.
• Small tsukkini- 2 pcs.
• tomatoes -3-4 pieces.
• Potatoes - 5 pcs.
• olive oil - 250 ml
• minced meat (lamb, veal) - 500-600 g
• grated cheese (traditionally Kefalotyri, but any cheese varieties such as parmesan) - 300 g
• salt, pepper and oregano to taste.
FOR bechamel
• flour - 2 tbsp. l.
• butter - 50 g
• Eggs - 2 pcs.
• milk - 2 tbsp
• nutmeg - to taste.
PREPARATION Step by step
1. Cut away from eggplant top and bottom, clean it from the skin and put a column on the table. And then cut into thin vertical slices. Lay off him aside. We do the same thing with zucchini.
2. Peeled potatoes sliced and fried in a large pan in hot olive oil for about 10 minutes.
3. Then, in the same oil for 7 minutes fried zucchini, and after them the same amount of time we need to eggplant. Vegetables should fry on both sides one after the other, laying them on the pan in one layer. Immediately after roasting vegetables is thrown back in a colander or a paper towel to glass excess oil and shifts each vegetable in a separate bowl. Do all this very carefully, so as not to disrupt their shape.
4. Form the moussaka. Initially, in a baking dish lay out the potato slices, slightly salt and pepper to taste them. Then a layer of grated cheese and meat, which we need to carefully leveled using a spoon or blade. The second layer - the eggplant slices, which we also add some salt and pepper, sprinkle with cheese. Top layer - zucchini, cheese, minced meat and cheese again.
5. Preparing a bechamel sauce. To do this, melt the butter over low heat, stirring constantly, add to it the flour to avoid lumps. Continuing to stir, pour into a saucepan the milk. Lightly beaten eggs in a separate bowl gently intervenes in the sauce. When the funnel hit the sauce - it's ready. Salt and pepper to taste, add the nutmeg.
6. Fill the sauce contents of the form and slightly flatten with a spoon or spatula. Add the dried oregano to taste and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ° C for 15-20 minutes. We give cool slightly, slice and serve. Enjoy your meal!
In case you want to pamper your loved ones original dishes, traditional for other parts of the world, we recommend that you look into our regular column Cuisines of the world. Cook with pleasure and share with us your comments and suggestions in the comments!
