Home / Dumplings / Cook moussaka in the oven. Greek moussaka (μουσακάς)

Cook moussaka in the oven. Greek moussaka (μουσακάς)

A hearty, multi-layered dish baked in the oven - masaka with eggplant in Greek! Cook at home!

In Greece, moussaka is also served in inexpensive cafes and luxury restaurants. But 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 classical Greek 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 none Greek dish not 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.

  • 3 eggplants (600-700 g);
  • 4 large potato tubers (600-700 g);
  • 3 small tomatoes (300 g);
  • 1 small onion (300 g);
  • 500 g lamb or minced pork and beef;
  • 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;
  • pinch nutmeg;
  • 0.5 tsp provencal herbs.

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

Salt and leave for 20-30 minutes, so that the pieces let out the juice, with which all the bitterness will come out of the eggplant.

Cut the potatoes into slices about the same thickness as the eggplant.

Place potatoes on a lined baking sheet. baking paper, lightly sprinkle olive oil and bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees. It should become soft and brown a little on top.

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

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

In the meantime, finely chop the onion.

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

We spread the minced meat to the onion and break it with a spatula, then mix with the onion.

You can already peel the skin off the tomatoes. We cut the fruits small cubes.

Minced meat seized, meat juice began to stand out.

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

Pour in red wine.

Add spices: mint and cinnamon stick.

Add water and simmer over low heat.

We wash the eggplant and squeeze the juice, dry it with paper towels.

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

No 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 in small portions Pour in warm milk, stirring constantly. 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.

Half of the liquid from the pan has evaporated, leaving the minced meat 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.

We rub the mozzarella on a fine grater.

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

We spread a layer of eggplants in the form, arrange the circles tightly to each other.

Put mince on top.

Sprinkle with some cheese.

Place potatoes and cover with sauce.

The next layer is minced meat again.

And sprinkle with cheese again.

Throw in the remaining eggplant.

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

The moussaka was baked, the cheese was beautifully browned. You can decorate the Greek casserole with a sprig of mint and serve. Enjoy your meal!

Recipe 2: Eggplant Moussaka (Step by Step Photos)

Moussaka (casserole) - a traditional dish from eggplant in the Balkans and the Middle East. AT different countries have their own original recipes. The classic Greek moussaka is an unusually tasty dish, reminiscent of Italian lasagna with two types of sauces, but instead of layers of dough, thinly sliced ​​\u200b\u200band fried eggplants are placed in it - this is a rather difficult dish to prepare and takes a lot of time. My recipe is a little simpler, but also very tasty.

  • minced meat 400-500 gr
  • onion 1-2 pcs
  • eggplant 5 pieces (medium)
  • tomatoes 5 pcs
  • eggs 6 pcs
  • sour cream 2-3 tbsp
  • cheese 250 gr
  • Dry Provence herbs
  • ground black pepper
  • vegetable oil for frying

You will also need a baking dish approximately 38x25 cm with a rim height of at least 5 cm.

Tip: you can fry minced meat and eggplant in advance, for example, in the evening, and bake moussaka the next day.

Cut the onion and fry it in oil until soft, 5-10 minutes.

Add minced meat to the onion. Fry minced meat for 10-15 minutes. Stir to break up meatballs. Salt and pepper. You can add 0.5 cups of dry wine and wait for it to evaporate.

Cut the stem off the eggplant and peel it off. Cut into slices 1-1.5 cm thick.

Take a clean frying pan or wash the pan after frying the minced meat).Fry the eggplant for vegetable oil from two sides.

Eggplant absorbs a lot of oil when fried, so be prepared to add more oil all the time. You can reduce the amount of oil absorbed by dipping eggplants in flour before frying,

but it is better to put the fried eggplants in a colander and press lightly so that the excess oil comes out.

Grate the cheese.

Prepare the tomatoes - remove the skin from them and cut into slices. To do this, cut the tomato on top, put in a bowl and pour boiling water for half a minute. Drain the boiling water, pour over with cold water - now the skin can be easily removed. If the tomato is hard and unripe, keep it in boiling water longer.

Tomatoes are best cut into round slices. Like this.

Put the fried eggplants in a baking dish, salt, pepper, add dry herbs.

Sprinkle eggplant with cheese.

Now fried minced meat.

Sprinkle with cheese.

The last layer is tomatoes, salt, pepper, herbs.

Tip: if you have a deep shape, then you can make another layer of fried eggplant - buy more eggplants or choose large fruits.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Beat eggs with sour cream, salt a little.

You can do this with a blender.

Fill the mold with the whipped mixture.

Bake moussaka in a preheated oven t 200º C for 35-40 minutes.

Moussaka is ready and smells delicious.

Juicy, tender, with melted cheese inside - just melts in your mouth! You will definitely be asked for more!

Recipe 3: Eggplant and Potato Moussaka

Today I want to offer you an incredible delicious recipe classic moussaka with potatoes and eggplant. This dish is very satisfying, and it tastes perfect, you can eat several servings of moussaka at a time if you don’t stop in time. Moussaka can be easily presented to guests, believe me, they will definitely appreciate and be grateful to you for such a dish. In addition to potatoes and eggplant, the dish contains Bechamel sauce, minced meat and onions are also fried separately, with the addition of tomato sauce or pasta, the collected moussaka is rubbed with cheese and cooked in the oven. The process is not very complicated, not too fast, but the result is worth the wait. You can serve moussaka to the table with greens and fresh vegetables or pickles.

  • potatoes - 4-5 pcs.,
  • eggplant - 1 pc.,
  • onion - 1 pc.,
  • minced meat - 400 g,
  • tomato paste - 1 tbsp.,
  • vegetable oil - 80 ml,
  • milk - 400 ml,
  • butter - 70 g,
  • wheat flour - 1 tbsp,
  • nutmeg, ground black pepper, paprika - to taste,
  • hard cheese - 100 g,
  • garlic - 2 cloves.

Prepare everything necessary ingredients. Take a frying pan, add some oil and heat it up. Clear onion, rinse and cut the onion into cubes, transfer the onion to the pan. Add minced meat to the onion.

Fry the minced meat and onions for 10 minutes, breaking the minced meat with a spatula in the process. Add tomato paste, a couple of cloves of garlic, cut into small cubes, add a little water, salt, pepper, paprika. Simmer all ingredients until evaporated tomato sauce.

Next, prepare the bechamel - melt the butter in a saucepan, add a spoon wheat flour, mix well. After pouring milk in a thin stream and constantly stirring with a whisk, the fire on the stove should be moderate.

Boil the bechamel until thick, add a pinch of nutmeg and ground pepper.

Cut the eggplant and fry in vegetable oil.

Prepare a mold for the oven, pour a little bechamel into the mold. Cut peeled potatoes into slices. Spread a third of the potatoes over the sauce. Salt.

Spread the cooked minced meat on top of the potatoes.

Arrange half of the eggplant on top of the minced meat.

Drizzle eggplant with sauce. Repeat again all the layers - potatoes, minced meat, eggplant.

Make the final layer of potatoes. Grate the cheese on a fine or medium grater, sprinkle the cooked dish with cheese.

Pour the rest of the sauce over the moussaka.

Seal the mold and send it to the oven. At 180 degrees, cook the moussaka for 45 minutes, then print the form and brown for another 15 minutes. You can immediately serve the dish to the table.

Enjoy your meal!

Recipe 4, step by step: moussaka with minced meat and eggplant

Moussaka with eggplant and minced meat may seem familiar and familiar to you, even though unusual name. However, do not rush to conclusions. Of course, what could be new in baking vegetables with meat in the oven. But the secret is that all the ingredients of the dish are cooked at the same time and in own juice. Not a single vegetable or even meat is cooked in advance. Thanks to this, all products retain their beneficial features and natural taste. You can also make a completely vegetarian casserole. This dish is suitable for a diet menu.

If this is your first time meeting with a similar dish, then we will tell you how to cook classic eggplant moussaka the Greek way. Step by step recipe with a photo will clearly demonstrate each of the stages of its cooking at home.

The name of the dish is translated as "chilled". Therefore, very often moussaka is served not as a main dish, but as a salad. The secret of the rich taste of the dish lies in a specially prepared sauce, the details of which you will learn in the recipe.

Let's start cooking.

  • tomato - 3-4 pcs
  • eggplant - 1-2 pieces
  • potatoes - 6 pcs
  • minced meat - 1 kg
  • onion - 2 pcs
  • garlic - 2 cloves
  • milk - 250 ml
  • sour cream - 150 ml
  • wheat flour - 2 tbsp.
  • butter - 150 gr
  • vegetable oil - 2 tbsp.
  • Bay leaf— 1-2 pcs
  • fresh herbs - to taste
  • ground black pepper - to taste

Prepare all the necessary ingredients and make sure you don't forget anything.

First of all, wash and clean the vegetables, if necessary. To rid eggplants of bitterness, cut them into rings and sprinkle with salt. Leave it like this for 20 minutes. After the required time has passed, rinse off the salt under running water and dry the eggplant with a paper towel. Next we take suitable shape and grease it with oil. The first layer will be eggplant. Peel and cut the onion into rings, it will be the second layer. We also cut the potatoes into rings and spread on top of the onion. The final layer will be tomatoes. Salt and pepper each layer to taste.

Put a thick layer of minced meat on top of the tomatoes. If you have not purchased minced meat, and fresh meat, then pass it through a meat grinder along with onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper and then lay it in a dense layer on top of the tomatoes.

Lay out all the vegetable layers, except for the tomatoes, again in the same order. Sprinkle potatoes generously with spices, spices and herbs to taste.

Let's prepare the sauce. To do this, heat the pan with butter and add flour to it. Mix for about 2 minutes while stirring. Then add milk to the pan and bring to a boil. Add sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly and heat, not bringing more to a boil.

When the sauce is cooked, fill it with a form with vegetables and meat.

We heat the oven to 175 degrees. We send the prepared form to the oven and cook for 1 hour.

We cool the finished dish and serve it to the table. Eggplant moussaka with minced meat is ready.

Recipe 5: Greek Eggplant Moussaka (Step by Step)

There are a lot of recipes for making moussaka, in each country of this region it is prepared in its own way. But most importantly, when preparing moussaka, a huge amount of spices and spices are used, the composition of which is also different in each country. So, if you like to experiment, if you are ready to try different directions in national dishes, our photos step by step cooking mousak just for you. Cook with us tasty and appetizing, delight your loved ones with your culinary delights.

for the base:

  • Beef or lamb meat - 500 grams
  • Eggplant - 400 grams
  • Potato - 300 grams
  • Tomatoes - 100 grams
  • Onion - 100 grams
  • Garlic - 2-3 cloves
  • Dry red wine - 150 grams
  • Egg - 1 piece
  • Sunflower oil - 100 grams
  • Salt - 20 grams
  • Allspice black pepper - 15 grams
  • Ground coriander - 10 grams
  • Ground thyme - 10 grams
  • Ground oregano - 10 grams

for the bechamel sauce:

  • Butter - 100 grams
  • Cheese - 100 grams
  • Milk - 250 grams
  • Flour top grade- 70 grams
  • Chicken egg - 1 piece
  • Salt - 10 grams
  • Allspice black pepper - 10 grams

Rinse the meat under running water, cut into large pieces.

Roll the chopped meat into minced meat. For moussaka, it is advisable to use minced meat of your own production, with it the dish will turn out tender and tasty.

Wash the eggplant, cut into thin long slices, sprinkle generously with salt. Place in a bowl to let the juices out of the eggplant.

Pour sunflower oil into a heated frying pan, put the minced meat for frying.

Free the onion from the skin, finely and thinly slice.

Put the onion in the pan to the minced meat, mix everything.

Wash the potatoes and thinly peel off the skin.

Cut the peeled potatoes into slices.

At this point, the eggplant will “give” juice, turn the slices over, check if the juice is well drained.

Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, as soon as the skin cracks, remove it, cut into cubes.

Peel the garlic, finely chop.

Add chopped tomatoes and garlic to the pan to the minced meat. Salt and pepper the contents of the pan, mix the minced meat well so that the salt and pepper are evenly distributed.

Pour dry red wine into minced meat, turn off the gas, cover the pan tightly with a lid, and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Squeeze juice from eggplant.

Grease a baking sheet well with sunflower oil, put eggplants on it, put in a preheated oven to dry.

All the ingredients for the moussaka are ready, now let's prepare the bechamel sauce. To do this, put the butter in a saucepan, put it on the burner, melt the butter.

The butter should not just melt, but boil.

Pour the flour into the boiled butter.

Beat the mass thoroughly with a whisk to avoid the slightest lumps.

When the flour mass has cooled slightly, pour milk and black pepper into the saucepan, beat the mass again and boil for another 1-2 minutes.

In a slightly cooled mass, break the egg, beat the mass well.

Moussaka sauce is ready. Let's start preparing the dish.

Grate the cheese on a coarse grater.

Break the egg into the prepared minced meat and mix well, distributing it evenly over the entire amount of minced meat.

Grease the bottom of the baking dish with sunflower oil. Lay out the sliced ​​\u200b\u200bpotatoes “overlapping” in the form.

Cover a layer of potatoes with a layer of baked eggplant.

Then, on top of the eggplant layer, spread the minced meat and another layer of eggplant.

Sprinkle eggplant with grated cheese and spread a layer of béchamel sauce on top. We put baked in the oven preheated to a temperature of 100 degrees.

After 40 minutes, the Greek moussaka will turn red, which means it is ready.

Moussaka is served directly on the table in a baking dish, cut into portions should be directly hot. And it is customary to serve delicious crispy homebaked bread and wine.

Recipe 6: Classic Eggplant Moussaka

Today on our menu is a hearty multi-layered dish - Greek moussaka with eggplant, meat and potatoes. After preliminary preparation, all components are placed in a mold and languish in the oven under a dense mixture of Bechamel sauce and cheese, which serves as a kind of lid. Thanks to such sealing, the products reveal and combine their aromas and tastes favorably, and the final dish turns out to be rich, soft and insanely appetizing!

Moussaka is not prepared very quickly, but after tasting, all the efforts expended will be fully justified! We choose juicy for the recipe, by no means lean minced meat, fleshy tomatoes and high-quality low-melting cheese. If you do not neglect the recommendations, the dish will come out delicious and truly flawless!

  • eggplant - 1 kg;
  • minced meat - 800 g;
  • white dry wine- 180 ml;
  • ground cinnamon - 1⁄2 tsp;
  • potatoes - 500 g;
  • fresh tomatoes - 300 g;
  • cheese - 50-70 g;
  • bulb - 1 pc.;
  • salt, pepper - to taste;
  • vegetable oil (for frying).

For sauce:

  • milk - 800 ml;
  • butter - 70 g;
  • flour - 50 g;
  • cheese - 200 g;
  • eggs - 3 pcs.;
  • nutmeg - a pinch;
  • salt - to taste.

After removing the husk, finely chop the onion. We choose a large, deep frying pan, fry the sliced ​​\u200b\u200bin refined oil until a light golden hue.

Load the minced meat to the toasted onion. We are waiting for the red-pink meat mass to become completely beige. Stir occasionally, breaking up large pieces with a spatula.

At the same time, we are engaged in tomatoes - we make a cross-shaped incision on the peel, and then we lower the fruits into a container with boiling water. After a couple of minutes, rinse the tomatoes with cold water, separate the steamed skin.

Pour dry wine to the brightened minced meat.

Finely chop the peeled tomatoes or grind in a blender bowl, add to the meat mass.

Salt / pepper, add cinnamon, mix the contents of the pan thoroughly. Without covering with a lid, keep the mixture on low heat - completely evaporate the moisture. On this, the meat component of the dish is ready!

We clean the potatoes, fill them with water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes (until half cooked). Draining the liquid, cool the boiled tubers.

Melt the butter in a saucepan or frying pan over low heat. Add flour, fry with stirring for 30-40 seconds.

Pour warm milk in small parts, stirring very carefully after each added portion. Continuing to stir continuously and intensively, bring the "Bechamel" to a boil over low heat.

Add nutmeg and finely grated cheese (200 g).

Stir, waiting for the complete melting of the cheese chips, salt to taste.

After transferring to a convenient working bowl, cool the cheese-milk mixture to a warm state. We introduce the eggs one at a time, after each diligently stir the mass with a whisk.

It remains to prepare the last component for the Greek layered dish. Eggplant cut into longitudinal plates about 3 mm thick. If there is a suspicion that the fruits are bitter, sprinkle the sliced ​​\u200b\u200bwith salt and let it stand, after which we wash the plates with water, dry them.

Brush eggplant strips with vegetable oil on both sides. Fry in a dry frying pan until lightly charred. On average, one side takes 3-4 minutes. Put the finished plates on a paper towel to absorb excess fat.

We proceed to the "assembly" of the dish. Boiled potatoes are cut into slices 2-3 mm thick. We distribute on the bottom of a heat-resistant form, lightly sprinkle with salt. We choose a container with high sides, approximately 23 × 30 cm in size (no less).

Then spread the mince evenly.

We hide the meat layer under the remnants of eggplant.

The final step is to distribute the sauce.

Moussaka in Greek is baked for about 30-40 minutes at 180 degrees. 10-15 minutes before the end of the process, sprinkle a layer of sauce with the remains of cheese, rubbing with small chips.

Serve the dish hot, cut into portions.

Moussaka in Greek with eggplant is ready! Enjoy your meal!

Recipe 7: Moussaka with potatoes, eggplant and minced meat

Catch the idea for a satisfying and delicious dinner- Greek moussaka with eggplant and potatoes. This dish combines everything we love: baked vegetables, juicy minced meat, gentle sauce and delicious melted cheese. It's beautiful homemade dish for the whole family! What could be better?

  • Minced meat mixed 1 kg
  • Onion 3 pieces
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Tomatoes 400 grams or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • Vegetable oil 3 tablespoons
  • White wine 150 milliliters
  • Salt 1 teaspoon
  • Sugar 1 teaspoon
  • Ground pepper ½ teaspoon
  • Thyme ½ teaspoon
  • Oregano ½ teaspoon
  • Sweet paprika ½ teaspoon
  • Dried parsley ½ teaspoon
  • Dried dill ½ teaspoon
  • Eggplant 2 pieces (large)
  • 2 potatoes (large)
  • Grated cheese 3 tablespoons
  • Vegetable oil 100 milliliters
  • Salt 1 teaspoon

bechamel sauce

  • Butter 70 grams
  • Wheat flour 2 tablespoons
  • Yogurt or milk 250 milliliters
  • Grated cheese 3 tablespoons
  • Eggs 2 pieces
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Rinse the eggplant, cut into slices approx. 1 centimeter, transfer them to a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain to remove the bitter juice. Leave on for 15-20 minutes, and then rinse and dry well.

Melt the butter in a frying pan, stirring constantly.

Add the flour and continue to stir, frying for 1 minute until the mixture is golden brown.

Pour in natural yogurt or milk and mix everything, without removing from heat, until the sauce becomes homogeneous. Then add the grated cheese and again mix everything very well, heating until the sauce becomes homogeneous again. Remove from heat after a minute and cool.

Add the eggs to the cooled sauce and mix well.

You should be able to homogeneous mass without lumps, but with pieces grated cheese, which has already melted quite a bit.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the diced onion in it with a pinch of salt until translucent.

Add minced meat, it is better to take mixed, and continue cooking.

When the minced meat begins to change color, add spices and the remaining salt to it.

Pour in the wine and tomato paste or peeled and finely chopped fresh tomatoes.

Simmer everything over medium heat for 30 minutes or until you get a thick meat sauce. By the way, with fresh tomatoes It turns out tastier and more aromatic than with tomato paste.

Peel the potatoes, cut into thin slices and fry in in large numbers vegetable oil until golden. Fry in batches for crispy outside chips. Remove excess oil with paper towels after frying.

Fry eggplant in the same way as potatoes, in batches and in a sufficient amount of oil. Please note that these vegetables are very greedy before oil.
Be sure to dry the eggplant slices after frying.

When all the ingredients and sauces are prepared, it remains only to combine it together and bake. Pick up a tall form and lay the fried eggplants on its bottom, using half the vegetables.

Lay the meat layer on top of the eggplants, using half of the minced meat.

Place potatoes over meat.

After again comes a layer of minced meat.

And lay the remaining eggplant on the meat.

Top everything with bechamel sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 60 minutes. Then take out the moussaka and leave the casserole to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. When the moussaka has cooled, it is easy to cut, so that it can be divided into portions.

Greek moussaka with eggplant and potatoes is served as a main dish. You can supplement it with salad, pickled cucumbers or sour cream, natural yogurt. It's delicious and hearty meal for every day, relevant both in summer and in winter. Enjoy your meal!

Recipe 8: Moussaka with Eggplant and Potatoes (with photo)

Moussaka with a delicious crust.

  • Minced meat - 500 g
  • Eggplant - 600 g
  • Potato - 500 g
  • Tomatoes - 400 g
  • Onion - 2 heads
  • Garlic - 2 cloves
  • Dried thyme - 1 teaspoon
  • Milk - 1 glass
  • Egg - 3 pcs.
  • Cheese - 100 g
  • Vegetable oil - 6 tbsp. spoons
  • Salt, ground black pepper - to taste

Wash potatoes, peel, cut into circles and boil for 5 minutes in salted water. Drain in a colander and let the water drain.

Wash the eggplant, cut lengthwise into slices and fry in vegetable oil on both sides.

Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, peel and cut into thin circles.

Peel the onion and garlic from the husk. Chop the onion and lightly brown in vegetable oil.

Add minced meat and simmer over medium heat for 20-25 minutes.

Add minced garlic, season with salt, pepper and thyme. Add tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.

Beat milk with eggs, salt and pepper. Add cheese chips and stir.

Place minced meat, eggplant and potatoes in layers in a greased baking dish, salt and pepper. Pour the moussaka with the resulting mixture and place in the oven.

Bake 15 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy your meal.

Recipe 9: Greek Eggplant Moussaka

  • Minced meat - 250-300 g
  • Potatoes (medium) - 2 pcs
  • Eggplant (medium) - 2 pcs
  • Bulgarian pepper - 1 pc.
  • Onion - 1 pc.
  • Tomato - 1 pc.
  • Tomato paste - 1 tbsp. l.
  • Dutch cheese (or any other durum varieties) - 100-150 g
  • Black pepper
  • Vegetable oil
  • Garlic - 1 tooth.

Cut eggplant into circles, salt, leave for 15 minutes. Then rinse, dry. Fry in vegetable oil on both sides.

Potatoes are also cut into circles, fry on 2 sides.

Finely chop onion and garlic, fry.

Musaha - most popular dish in the Balkans, the Middle East and the Caucasus. Greece is considered the homeland. Those who rested in Greece know that this is a puff casserole of eggplant, minced meat, tomatoes and onions. I propose to cook the second dish of Caucasian cuisine, fragrant vegetable sauce With minced meat. It is called musahA, with the accent on the last syllable. This great-grandmother's recipe is at least four generations old. Traditionally, musakh is made from lamb, but the meat component can be anything. Here are links to and to . Today I have minced beef with the addition of lean pork. All family recipes caucasian cuisine - .

Compound:

  • Minced meat - 1 kg
  • - 1 kg
  • Onion - 3 pieces
  • Carrot - 1 piece
  • - 2-3 pieces
  • Hot pepper - optional
  • Tomatoes - 3-4 pieces
  • Salt - 1 teaspoon
  • Ground black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
  • Garlic - 4-5 cloves
  • cilantro, green basil, dill, mint - bunch
  • Hot water - ½ cup
  • Vegetable oil - 3-4 tablespoons

How to cook Caucasian Musakha - eggplant sauce with minced meat

Peel the eggplants in strips, cut into circles about 1 cm wide. Put the eggplants in layers in a deep bowl, sprinkling each layer with a pinch coarse salt. Recently, the probability of eggplant with bitterness is very small, breeders do not eat their bread in vain. I sprinkle salt and squeeze the eggplant to reduce the calorie content of the finished dish. Squeezed eggplant absorbs much less oil when fried.

Cut eggplant and salt

Cut the onion into half rings, grate the carrot.


Fry the vegetables in hot vegetable oil until the onions are transparent and the carrots are soft.


fry vegetables

Add the minced meat to the vegetables, mix and fry until the minced meat brightens.


Add minced meat

Salt, pepper. Bell pepper free from seeds and stalk, cut into strips and add to meat with vegetables, mix and simmer for about 3 minutes.


Add pepper to meat with vegetables

Squeeze the eggplant and fry first in a dry frying pan, then add a little vegetable oil.


fry eggplant

Greens, of course, it is better to take fresh. Cilantro and basil are a must, dill and mint are optional.


cilantro, basil, dill, mint and garlic for moussachi

Dip tomatoes in boiling water for 15 seconds, peel.


peel the tomatoes

Grind tomatoes with herbs and garlic in a blender. To make this fragrant sauce hotter, you can add hot pepper.


Grind greens, garlic and tomatoes into tomato sauce

In a deep dish with a thick bottom (I have a 4-liter pan), lay out in layers - half the roast, half the eggplant, pour half the tomato sauce and again - the remaining roast, eggplant, tomato sauce.


Spread eggplant, meat with vegetables and tomato sauce in layers

Add so many hot water so that the liquid covers the top layer. Bring to a boil and simmer covered over low heat for about 20 minutes until fully prepared. At this stage, you can taste the broth and, if necessary, add salt.

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

Moussaka - a variety 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. Exist different variants its preparations, even in Greece, each hostess 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 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:

  1. Cut eggplants into long plates 1 cm thick, sprinkle them generously with salt. Mix gently and leave for 30 minutes.
  2. Prepare a mixed minced beef and lamb.
  3. Onion cut into small cubes. Fry it in a small amount of oil until golden brown, add minced meat. Fry well, stirring constantly.
  4. Add garlic and pour in wine. Stirring occasionally, wait for the wine to evaporate.
  5. In the meantime, pour boiling water over the tomatoes and remove the skin from them. Then grind and add to minced meat.
  6. Simmer over low heat, then add spices and a piece of red capsicum. Don't forget to salt and pepper.
  7. You can add a little hot water to make the stuffing better stewed.
  8. Simmer the minced meat until it becomes homogeneous, without lumps. Then add chopped parsley, mix and close the lid.
  9. Wash eggplant in cold water. Place them in a colander to drain excess liquid. Then lay out on paper towels.
  10. Peel potatoes, cut into 0.5 cm thick plates. Put on a baking sheet on greased baking paper.
  11. Preheat oven, bake potatoes for 10-15 minutes.
  12. 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.
  13. If you fry eggplants, put them on a wire rack after frying to drain excess oil.

Preparing Bechamel Sauce:

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

  1. 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.
  2. Therefore, I do not buy tomatoes in the winter, but use my own, cooked tomato paste. See the link for how to do this.
  3. 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!
  4. 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.
  5. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. Since at home I always cook a lot and tasty, I cannot leave my beloved child without tasty 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.
  3. Moussaka is just a very good case when the dish is equally tasty both with meat and without meat.
  4. Vegetarian moussaka should be prepared in the same way as meat moussaka. We skip the step of adding minced meat.
  5. And at the moment when the tomatoes are fried, I add the Bulgarian pepper, cut into slices.
  6. Everything else is unchanged. Try it, it's very tasty!

Enjoy your meal!

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:

  1. 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.
  2. Onion cut into half rings thinner. I use large onions, just cut them as thin as possible. In the process of cooking, all the onion will evaporate and it will not be visible at all in ready dish. And of course, it will not be felt either.
  3. Cut the bell pepper into cubes with a side of a little more than 1 cm.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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 versatile spice components as ground coriander and rosemary, paprika, a little turmeric, cardamom, thyme, oregano, a mixture of herbs - parsley, dill, basil.
  8. 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 enough hot peppers, and so I cut off a piece of 1 cm thick with a knife.
  9. Cooking dishes with a thick bottom. You can use a large frying pan with non-stick coating and with high sides, or a cauldron. In such dishes, the entire dish is heated evenly and nothing will burn.
  10. We will also need a baking sheet, in the second stage of cooking we will cook in it.
  11. We boil a kettle of water, we need boiling water.
  12. 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 with a recipe for the first time, then do all the preparation in advance 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. The minced meat for moussaka is ready. Lay it on top of the potato slices.
  5. 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.
  6. Lay the eggplant on top of the minced meat.
  7. 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.
  8. After that, remove from heat, cool for a few minutes and break the eggs into the sauce. Salt and mix well.
  9. Pour the moussaka prepared for baking with the sauce. Sprinkle grated cheese on top.
  10. 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 pepper, 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Cut the onion into thin rings, spread it in an even layer on the potatoes, salt and pepper.
  4. We clean the carrots and cut them into circles, put them on the onion and also salt and pepper, sprinkle with olive oil.
  5. We clean the Bulgarian pepper and cut into rings, salt and pepper, sprinkle with olive oil.
  6. Finely chop the greens, chop the garlic.
  7. 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:

  1. Eggplants and zucchini are washed and dried with a napkin.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Greek moussaka with sauce is baked in the “Baking” mode for an hour, after which the dish can be presented to slightly cooled guests.

Preparation time: 1 hour 20 minutes (including baking time)

Cost of 4 servings: 363 rubles

Cost of 1 serving: 91 rubles


Ingredients:

Eggplant 2pcs (400g) - 28 rubles

Onion 1/2pc - 2 rubles

Vegetable oil 30ml - 3 rubles

Garlic 2 cloves - 1 ruble

Minced turkey 500g - 180 rubles

Salt, pepper to taste

Dried oregano 5g - 5 rubles

Sauce "Bechamel":

Butter 50g - 33 rubles

Flour 50g - 4 rubles

Tomato paste 30g - 6 rubles

Milk 600ml - 42 rubles

Nutmeg 3g (from a whole nut) - 8 rubles

Salt to taste

Potatoes 3pcs (300g) - 6 rubles

Tomatoes 2pcs (150g) - 12 rubles

Hard cheese 50g - 33 rubles

Fresh herbs (melissa, oregano, basil) for serving


Cooking:

  • Cut eggplant into thick rings. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and leave for 10-15 minutes. Juice will come out of eggplant and bitterness will go away. Then drain the liquid and rinse the rings under running water.
  • Chop the onion into small cubes and fry in vegetable oil. Crush the garlic into the pan. Throw the minced meat and stir constantly so that it does not stick together. When the meat is lightly fried, season it with ground pepper, oregano and salt. It is not necessary to fry the minced meat to the end - it will reach readiness in the oven.

Sauce "Bechamel":

  • In a saucepan at medium heat, start melting the butter. Knead it with flour, constantly stirring. You need to pass through until a nutty flavor. The consistency of the mixture should not be similar to softened plasticine, it should be more viscous.
  • Then add tomato paste and continue mixing. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring quickly. Stir until the consistency is medium in density and until the lumps disappear.
  • Season with nutmeg and salt when the sauce is almost done.

  • Cut potatoes and tomatoes into round slices. Divide potatoes into two equal parts.
  • Place the first layer of potatoes in a baking dish. Salt and pepper a little. Then make a layer of tomatoes and pour sauce over it. Put all the stuffing on top. Drizzle with sauce again. Then put in the eggplant. Continue layers in the following order: sauce - potatoes - sauce.
  • Send to the oven at a temperature of 200 degrees for 45 minutes. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, sprinkle the moussaka with grated cheese.
  • After cooking, allow the dish to cool slightly and infuse.

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 remotely resembles Italian lasagna, the recipe of which is located. Only instead of dough, a vegetable layer is used. Initially 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 little 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. And give a special Mediterranean flavor meat dish 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. We wash the eggplant and squeeze the juice, dry it 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. Enjoy your meal!