Authentic Moussaka Recipe Greece, Europe

Name: Traditional Greek Moussaka
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Southeastern European
Ingredients: 1 lb chopped meat; 3 tbsp butter or lard; 3 tbsp chopped onions; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs; 1 cup grated cheese; 2 tbsp chopped parsley; 1 cup white wine; 1 cup water; 3 or 4 round eggplants (medium size); salt; ground pepper; ground nutmeg; FOR THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE; 1 quart milk; 1 cup flour; 3-4 tbsp butter; 2 eggs; salt; white pepper; grated nutmeg

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Introduction & history

Although it is regularly associated with Greek cuisine, moussaka is one of those dishes with an unclear origin — it is deeply loved and appreciated through the entire Greece, Turkey, Levant, Balkans and the Middle East. It is served as a main course and consists of layers of aubergine (eggplant) and ground or minced lamb meat in a form of a casserole, covered in thick and creamy béchamel sauce and baked until golden. This kind of preparation is characteristic for Greece, although on some Greek islands, such as Crete and Rhodes, zucchini and potatoes might be added to the aubergine. In the Balkans, moussaka is prepared in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia and Serbia: potatoes are used instead of eggplant, and minced lamb meat is replaced with ground beef or pork. Turkish musakka, on the other hand, is not layered, and the Egyptians prepare their version with beef and eggplant dipped in tomato sauce and fried. Levant countries ... Read more

Main ingredients