The most delicious eggplant moussaka recipe. How to assemble moussaka and bake

Moussaka - national Greek dish. In the form in which thousands of Greek housewives prepare moussaka, it appeared in 1920, thanks to the cook Nicholas Tselementes. He based his dish on arabic recipe salad with eggplants, adding meat and bechamel sauce. The Celementes recipe turned out to be so successful that it became popular not only in Greece, but also abroad. There are many variations of this dish. Today we are preparing the most delicious in the oven moussaka with eggplant and potatoes. The dish turns out to be satisfying, so it will become a complete lunch or dinner. Try it!

Ingredients

To prepare moussaka with eggplants and potatoes in the oven you will need (for a 22-24 cm mold):

chopped meat- 400 g;

tomatoes (large) - 4-5 pcs.;

eggplant - 2 pcs.;

onions - 2 pcs.;

potatoes - 3-4 pcs.;

bell pepper - 1 pc.;

carrots - 1 pc.;

garlic - 3 cloves;

salt, pepper, spices;

vegetable oil for frying.

For the bechamel sauce:

milk - 400 ml;

cheese - 200 g;

flour - 2 tbsp. l.;

butter - 1 tbsp. l.;

salt pepper, nutmeg, Bay leaf.

Cooking steps

Cut the eggplants into thin slices and add salt.

Then rinse the eggplants and fry in a dry frying pan until golden brown on both sides. Cut the peeled potatoes into thin slices.

Add diced bell pepper to carrots and onions.

Grate the tomatoes, add to the vegetables, and simmer for a few minutes.

Then add minced meat to the pan, simmer for 10 minutes, stirring and breaking up lumps. Salt and pepper.

Grease the mold vegetable oil, lay out layers: eggplant + potatoes.

Place half of the minced meat fried with vegetables in the next layer.

Next, repeat the layers, top with eggplants, sprinkle with finely chopped garlic and pour bechamel sauce over the Greek moussaka.

Bake moussaka with eggplant and potatoes in a preheated oven at 190 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Delicious, satisfying, very juicy and aromatic Greek moussaka is ready. The recipe is simple, and the result will certainly please you!

Bon appetit!

Moussaka is the signature dish of Greek chefs. The recipe for its preparation is quite troublesome and time-consuming, but the delicacy turns out fantastically tender and very appetizing. Greek moussaka is not prepared in every home, but the set of ingredients is so simple (like all Greek cuisine, for that matter) that if you take a little time to prepare, all the ingredients will definitely be found in every housewife’s refrigerator.

Some people prepare a Greek dish with potatoes, but the real classic recipe involves preparing moussaka with eggplant and meat. Seasoned generously with spices and a creamy white sauce. That's why the Greeks, who love hearty and Tasty food, preparing moussaka from fresh vegetables with meat almost every day. Traditionally, lamb is used for this dish.

But moussaka with minced chicken It cooks a little faster, and the cost of such a dish is lower. We suggest preparing Greek moussaka at home using our recipes. It's not difficult at all.

Moussaka: classic recipe with Bechamel sauce without potatoes

To prepare moussaka with eggplant and minced meat you need following products:

• butter – 50 g;
• wheat flour – 2 tbsp. l.;
• chicken egg – 1 pc.;
• nutmeg – 1 tsp;
• ground pepper– 1 tsp;
• parmesan – 100 g;
• milk – 1 tbsp.;
• salt – 2 tsp;
• minced chicken – 1 kg;
• eggplants – 3 pcs.;
• tomato paste – 200 g;
• onion – 300 g;
• bell pepper – 500 g;
• olive oil – 5 tbsp. l.

How to cook Greek moussaka with eggplant without potatoes - step by step recipe with photo:

Start preparing this Greek delicacy by preparing the Bechamel sauce. After all, it is thanks to this sauce that moussaka with eggplant and minced meat turns out so tender and tasty.

Take a small deep frying pan, place butter in it and melt over heat. Be careful not to let the melted butter boil. Once it melts, add wheat flour to it.

Mix the ingredients vigorously with a spoon.

Keep the frying pan with oil and flour on the fire for about 1 minute. At the same time, constantly stir the ingredients combined in the pan so that they do not burn.

Set the pan with the butter-flour mixture aside while you prepare the other ingredients. Pass the Parmesan through a coarse grater.

Heat the milk in microwave oven, but do not bring to a boil.

Then place the frying pan with the butter-flour mixture on the fire and carefully add the milk into it. Mix the combined ingredients thoroughly.

Remember that if you add cold milk to the pan, lumps will form in the sauce.

Boil the mixture over the fire for about 1 minute, and then add a third of the grated Parmesan cheese to it.

Add salt, a pinch of nutmeg and ground pepper to the pan.

Constantly stir the combined ingredients until the cheese has melted and a fairly thick, homogeneous mixture is formed in the pan.

Remove the pan from the heat and then pour the mixture into a clean, deep plate.

Egg beat into a deep ceramic container. Beat it thoroughly with a fork until a homogeneous foam forms.

Pour the beaten egg in a very thin stream into the future sauce.

Whisk all combined ingredients using a whisk. Bechamel sauce is ready.

To prevent a hard crust from forming on it, cover it with cling film and set aside.

In the meantime, start preparing other ingredients for preparing moussaka with minced meat and vegetables, Greek style.

Rinse the eggplants, dry with paper towels, cut off the tails, and then cut lengthwise into long, thin slices.

The thickness of one eggplant slice should not exceed 1 mm.

Salt the chopped eggplants and leave for 10 minutes. After the required time has passed, rinse them from salt and start frying.

Fry each piece of eggplant in a frying pan greased with olive oil on both sides.

Place the browned eggplant slices on a clean plate and cool.

While the eggplants are cooling, prepare the moussaka filling. First, prepare the peppers and onions.

By the way, for Greek moussaka it is best to use red bell pepper. In this case, the Greek dish will turn out brighter and richer.

Remove the stems from the peppers and cut out the core. Remove the skins from the onion.

Rinse peeled vegetables in cold water and chop. Cut the pepper into thin strips and the onion into half rings.

Place vegetables in a deep frying pan, add to them olive oil and fry on all sides. Stir the onion and pepper mixture occasionally with a wooden spatula to prevent the vegetables from burning.

When the ingredients are lightly browned, add the minced chicken to them.

Mix the ingredients together in the pan thoroughly.

Cook the moussaka filling over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula.

Then add tomato paste to the pan with vegetables and minced meat. Don't forget to salt the ingredients.

Mix all the ingredients and simmer them under closed lid about 15 minutes. Get busy assembling the Greek moussaka.

By the way, the amount of ingredients is calculated for an oval shape 15 cm wide, 30 cm long and 5 cm high.

Lightly grease a baking dish with the remaining olive oil and then place half the eggplant in the bottom.

Place the filling of peppers, onions and minced meat on the eggplant layer.

Place the remaining eggplant slices on top of the minced meat and vegetable filling.

Classic moussaka with eggplant and minced meat is almost ready.

Take a plate with Bechamel sauce and remove it from cling film, and pour the cooled sauce into a baking dish.

Use a spoon to smooth it over the entire surface of the dish.

Sprinkle the future moussaka with eggplant and minced meat with the remaining grated Parmesan.

This eggplant delicacy is baked for about 40 minutes in an oven heated to 180 degrees.

When the cheese is completely melted and browned, the moussaka can be removed from the oven.

However, remember that the dish turns out to be very tender. To serve the delicacy, it must be completely cooled. Cut the cooled moussaka into small pieces and serve to guests.

Moussaka with minced chicken prepared according to the presented recipe turns out very appetizing and aromatic.

It can be served with chopped fresh vegetables. The dish will look more beautiful on the table if you decorate it with dill or other herbs. Bon appetit!

Greek moussaka with eggplant, potatoes and minced meat - recipe with video

Eggplant

Moderately sized eggplants, 3-4 pieces, cut lengthwise into slices one centimeter thick. Place the slices on a board and brush both sides with olive oil. After that, sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper on one side. Using Thursday or smoked salt gives excellent results. Now place the eggplants on a baking sheet and place under the broiler in the oven. The eggplants should be deeply browned on both sides, removed and allowed to cool. If there is no grill, 20 minutes at 180C will also solve the problem.

If you fry eggplant in a frying pan, you will have to first sprinkle them with salt, stack them in a colander and after half an hour squeeze them well, otherwise they will absorb so much oil that moussaka will float.

Meat

This is where things get more complicated. Most sources insist on lamb, although there are authoritative opinions in favor of veal, and even a mixture of veal and pork. To my taste, young lamb is better suited to the range of spices used in moussaka. They shade the lamb, but they slaughter the veal, leaving only one texture. But it's up to you. And there is nothing seditious in choosing cows and pigs, the Greeks will not whistle with four fingers, the Arabs will whistle, and the Jews don’t care at all, because moussaka deeply not kosher.

In any case, the meat should be minced. It is best to chop it yourself, but a meat grinder with a large grate will also work. Even better is what in Russian cuisine was called “ take a plateful of leftover roast and chop it up nicely" If you regularly have leftovers, this is a great way to recycle.

Tomato sauce

The Greeks use perasti - we more often know it as Italian name trade wind It's easier to take finished product, but who’s stopping you from peeling the tomatoes, chopping them finely and boiling them with wine and herbs? Yes, no one bothers. Moreover, in the trade wind or tomato puree you will still have to add both wine and herbs.

Cheese sauce

Essentially, this is a classic bechamel with eggs and grated cheese added. Once again about cheese. Traditionally - kefalotyri, but you won’t see it every step of the way. Pecorino, the same sheep's and firm variety that is available almost everywhere now, would be an excellent substitute.

If not everyone remembers how to make bechamel, then melt a quarter stick of butter in a frying pan and stir in 3 tablespoons wheat flour, grind reverse side fork until smooth and gradually pour in half a liter of hot milk, add salt and grated nutmeg - quite a lot, at least half a teaspoon, boil everything together and rub through a sieve. Let cool slightly and stir in two well-beaten eggs and a cup of finely grated cheese.

Second half

Half of your moussaka is already ready, by the way. The eggplants are baked and there is cheese sauce. Let's go further.
You need to take a large heavy frying pan or saucepan, put it on the fire, pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, let it heat up and add a couple of finely chopped onions. Brown the onion thoroughly over medium heat, then add half a head or 4-5 cloves of garlic, also finely chopped. Immediately sprinkle a teaspoon on top ground cinnamon and oregano ( oregano) and then simmer for a couple of minutes.

You need about half a kilo of minced meat, whatever it is made of. Place it in the frying pan, raising the heat to high. If the minced meat is from a meat grinder, then gradually break it with a fork into small pieces and fry until well browned, all the liquid should evaporate.

Now comes the tomato puree, passata, perasti, etc. A cup is enough, and pour the same cup of red wine. Pour both cups into the frying pan, stir well, reduce heat to low, and keep uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Don’t dry it out, but don’t leave it semi-liquid either, otherwise it will be difficult to serve, and moussaka must keep its shape. Remove the finished meat from the heat and stir in another handful of chopped fresh parsley.

Assembly

Take ceramic or glass mold for baking. Place a third of the eggplant slices on the bottom. On them - half the minced meat with tomato. Again a layer of eggplants, again minced meat and at the very top - the last batch of eggplants. Now fill everything up cheese sauce and place in the oven, already preheated to 180C ( 160С if with convection) and bake for ¾ hour or until the top crust is deeply browned.

After removing the moussaka from the oven, do not serve it immediately, no matter how much you are pushed under the arm - everything will fall apart and it will be ugly. Moussaka It should set like crème caramel or cheesecake. In addition, it picks up odors inside and becomes tastier and brighter. Not in the refrigerator, of course, but she should be given at least 20 minutes. Don't worry, it won't get cold at all.

Second courses for every day

Make a deliciously appetizing, incredibly tasty Greek moussaka with eggplant and minced meat according to our recipe with photos and videos.

45 min

440 kcal

5/5 (3)

Moussaka – famous dish Greek cuisine, similar to a casserole, which has become incredibly popular recently, especially among the population of our country. Looking at the colorful photo of this delicious-looking product, I decided that I would definitely find among my culinary friends a real master of Greek moussaka with eggplant, who would share the classic recipe with me.
And I was lucky - one of my friends had just returned from Greece, where she visited cooking master class this exclusively delicious product. I implemented her recipe as quickly as I could, and was not at all disappointed - perfect moussaka in Greek made from aromatic minced meat with eggplants and potatoes, had a simply amazing effect on my family. I decided not to keep this guide a secret, so that any of our housewives could easily prepare this delicious dish for their own family.
Did you know? There are many varieties of moussaka in the culinary world, but today we will prepare a real, classic Greek moussaka, which is usually only tasted in restaurants.

Kitchen tools

If possible in advance prepare dishes, utensils and tools, which you will definitely need when preparing moussaka with minced meat and vegetables:

• a baking sheet or saucepan with a non-stick coating with a diameter of 23 cm;
• a spacious frying pan with a diameter of 20 cm;
• several bowls (deep) with a capacity of 300 to 800 ml;
• linen and cotton towels;

• wooden spatula;
• teaspoons;
• medium grater;
• colander;
• oven mitts;
• tablespoons;
• measuring cups or kitchen scales;
• cutting board and sharp knife.

In addition, you may need food processor or blender to properly prepare some of the ingredients before adding them to the moussaka.

You will need

The basis

Important! To make Greek moussaka, you will need assorted beef, pork or minced meat, since only this type of meat retains the desired juiciness and tenderness after cooking. heat treatment. Do not use chicken or turkey meat to prepare minced meat - it will clump together while baking the product.

Seasonings

• 7 g table salt;
• 8 g ground black pepper;
• 6 g ground red pepper;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 6 g dried oregano;

• 50 g breadcrumbs;
• 60 g of fresh herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro);
• 25 – 30 g wheat flour;
• 25 - 30 g butter.

Additionally

• 25 ml sunflower oil.

Did you know? In addition to the above-mentioned spices and additives, you can add others, your favorite ones, to the moussaka - for example, I often add a little nutmeg, since in combination with oregano it gives the product a truly unique aroma. In addition, you can use classic seasoning mixtures, such as “French aroma” or “Provencal herbal mixture”.

Cooking sequence

Preparation

1. Chopped meat knead with a fork or spoon, add a little table salt to it.
2. Eggplant rinse under running water, then cut crosswise into circles no more than 1 cm thick.
3. Place the circles one at a time in a colander, sprinkling them with table salt.
4. Cover the bowl with eggplants, place a weight on top (you can use a pan with water) and leave for half an hour.
5. Three tomatoes wash, cut into several pieces and grind in a food processor or blender.
6. Onion and garlic we clean it, then finely chop it with a knife or also pass it through a food processor.

Important! The above manipulations with eggplants are necessary so that bitterness and unpleasant astringency come out of them along with the juice. Even if you have very young eggplants, do not skip this stage, so as not to be disappointed with the taste of the finished product.

First stage

Second phase

1. Pour into the prepared roast White wine, mix thoroughly. We increase the intensity of the fire.
2. When the wine has completely evaporated, pour the mixture prepared in a food processor into the mixture. tomatoes.
   
3. Stir, add salt, black and red pepper, oregano. Continue to simmer until the liquid evaporates again.
   
4. At the final stage, sprinkle the mixture breadcrumbs , stir it thoroughly again and transfer it to a separate bowl.
   
5. Wash the pan and melt it butter.
6. Add flour, stir a little and fry the mixture for a few minutes.
   
7. Then in small portions pour in milk, intensively mixing the mass and eliminating large lumps.
   
8. Once the sauce has thickened, pour it into a bowl and whisk a little.
   
9. Separately beat the eggs and stir them into the slightly cooled sauce.
   

Assembling the moussaka

Did you know? An absolutely delicious moussaka with minced meat and aubergines is made using this recipe in a slow cooker: for a truly perfect result, prepare the ingredients as above using the "Stew" or "Cook" programs, and then assemble the moussaka in the bowl of the device. Cook the product for about ten to fifteen minutes in the “Casserole” mode, then leave the device in the “Warming” program for another five minutes.

Just great job, your amazingly aromatic moussaka is completely ready! Serve it with a side dish of boiled vegetables or how independent dish– it all depends on your own taste. You can decorate moussaka greenery, tomatoes or boiled chicken eggs.

Greek moussaka with eggplant - video

In the video below you can see in detail the recipe for making Greek moussaka.

Bon appetit everyone and always Have a good mood! I hope you will write me a few lines about the recipe described above - maybe you have any questions? In addition, I would like to hear your opinion on the seasoning set, preparation of ingredients and serving method. Good luck to you in everything!

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When traveling around Greece, tourists do not miss the opportunity to get acquainted with local cuisine. Spicy taste traditional Mediterranean dishes many people like it, so when they return to their native land, travelers often try to repeat the creations of Greek chefs at home. Among the popular dishes are Greek salad, Tzatziki, Taramasalata and Greek Moussaka with eggplant, the recipe for which we will give in today’s article. After reading the material, you will learn how to prepare classic Moussaka, as well as what variations of this dish there are.

Every restaurant, cafe or tavern in Greece serves traditional Moussaka - a layered Greek casserole with eggplant, minced meat and cream sauce. By appearance and the cooking technology is very similar Italian lasagna, with the only difference that instead of pasta sheets, the Greeks use vegetables. This dish is also associated with French cuisine, because the casserole is filled with the famous bechamel sauce.

This combination of European flavor notes with traditional Greek products is due to the fact that the creator of Moussaka, chef Nikos Tselemendis, not only loved the national cuisine, but also appreciated the culinary discoveries of other countries. As a result of hobbies and experiments Greek chef a classic recipe for Greek Moussaka with eggplant and béchamel sauce was born. Let's look at the detailed composition of this original recipe.

Ingredients

It is difficult to surprise modern gourmets, so classic recipes are constantly undergoing changes in the composition of ingredients or production method. We will also take a look at the variations. Greek casserole, but first let’s look at the original classics.

Traditional Moussaka is made from eggplant and minced lamb. Lamb - a favorite meat of the Greeks, and replacements with other types deli meats won't tolerate it. Beef, pork, chicken and turkey are a completely different taste for a Greek dish.

This is what it looks like full list containing the main ingredients of Moussaka:

• Eggplants – 1 kg;
• Minced lamb – 500-700 gr.;
• Onions – 2 pcs.;
• Tomatoes- 3 pcs.;
• Oilolive – 2 tbsp;
• Cheese – 100 gr.;
• White dry wine– 150 ml.

In addition, you need to stock up on spices and ingredients to prepare the sauce.

The composition and proportions of spices depend entirely on the preferences of the cook. Sometimes Eggplant Moussaka contains only ground pepper, salt and nutmeg. But in most cases, the dish is seasoned with a whole mixture of herbs. For rich taste Add a sprig of cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, lemon zest, bay leaf, salt, red pepper and regular ground pepper to the minced meat.

The Greek casserole is filled with bechamel sauce, for which you will need the following products:

• Milk – 0.5 l.;
• Butter – 90 gr.;
• Egg – 2 pcs.;
• Cheese – 150 gr;
• Flour – 2 tbsp.

General cooking principles

Preparing Moussaka is a rather lengthy process, consisting of several preparatory stages. The table below contains a description of each stage and important notes on the preparation technology.

This is how traditional Greek food is prepared. Now let's look at popular variations of recipes.

Moussaka recipes

Besides classic way there are quite a few manufactures delicious variations of this dish. For example, Moussaka with eggplant and potatoes, lean casserole, Moussaka with rice and more than 14 recipes for preparing this dish in the oven. In addition, often the meat used is not lamb or beef, but chicken and pork. And the composition of spices for snacks is completely inexhaustible. Chili, cinnamon, garlic, dill and parsley, nutmeg, ground black pepper - Moussaka goes with everything.

Classic recipe for Greek moussaka with eggplant and potatoes

This variation is different from classic dish“Greek Moussaka with minced meat and eggplant” only by the presence of potatoes. The process steps are:

1. Coarsely chop the eggplants, potatoes and tomatoes. Heat the vegetables separately in a frying pan until half cooked.
2. Fry the minced meat, adding a little parsley, salt, garlic, as well as olive oil and pepper.
3. Prepare Bechamel. Fry in butter flour, slowly adding milk (500 ml) to the mixture. Remove the thickened mass from the heat and add beaten eggs (2 pieces), season with nutmeg and mix.
4. Lay everything out in layers: potatoes, eggplants, minced meat, tomatoes, again eggplants and minced meat. Pour over the sauce and add grated topping hard cheese(150 gr.). Place in the oven.

Moussaka is baked with potatoes for about 60-80 minutes.

Vegetarian (Lenten) moussaka in Greek

Preparing a classic Moussaka recipe with eggplant means getting a huge portion of calories. If you are a fan of lighter and proper nutrition, then you can replace the composition of the products and cook vegetarian Moussaka.

Required Ingredients:

• carrots (2),
• potatoes (5),
• celery (100g),
• green beans (500g),
• rice (half a cup),
• eggs (4),
• milk (200 ml),
• olive or vegetable oil (50 ml),
• onions (2).

The onion is finely chopped, the carrots and celery are grated, after which the vegetables are placed in a frying pan and fried. Separately boil rice, beans and potatoes. The finished beans are cut into pieces, and the potatoes are grated coarse grater. The prepared products are laid out in layers in the mold, which are done in the following order:

• potato;
• fried vegetables;
• rice;
• beans.

The sauce is made from a mixture of eggs and milk, but it is also possible classic Bechamel. Vegetarian Moussaka is baked for only 20 minutes at 180 degrees.

For Lenten dishes In addition to rice, beans or carrots, cooks also use other vegetables. Therefore, Moussaka with cabbage is not at all uncommon, bell pepper, pumpkin, green peas etc.

Greek moussaka with eggplant and zucchini

Many people like to combine zucchini and eggplant in Moussaka, which makes the dish more juicy and rich.

This casserole is prepared with minced meat (meat mixtures from lamb, beef or veal are acceptable), the only difference is the amount of vegetables. Zucchini is chopped and cooked in the same way as eggplant, you can even fry the vegetables together. The only thing we note is that zucchini should not be soaked in water or kept in salt, because... they will lose their consistency.

Variation with eggplant and rice

Another recipe for people who do not accept meat and high-calorie pastas. Moussaka is prepared a little differently with rice, so the full step-by-step instruction cooking.

1. Eggplants (2 pcs.) are peeled, cut into large slices and fried. Place the fried vegetables on paper to drain off excess oil.
2. Rice (150 gr.) and white beans(300g.) Boil until tender and mix with each other.
3. Tomatoes (3 pcs.) finely chopped and sautéed in a frying pan with herbs(taste).
4. The prepared products are placed in the mold in the following sequence: eggplants - tomatoes - rice and beans - tomatoes - eggplants. The dish is baked for 30 minutes.

Ready Moussaka is served without sauce, but with a sprinkling of fresh herbs.

A traditional Greek dish is prepared very tasty using a slow cooker. Thanks to the gentle heating of the bowl, the Moussaka tastes more delicate.

Ingredients for the dish:

• eggplants – 2 pcs.,
• onion – 1 piece,
• minced meat – 500 g,
• eggs – 2 pcs,
• cheese – 150 gr,
• sour cream – 2 tbsp,
• flour – 2 tbsp,
• tomato paste – 1 tbsp,
• butter – 1 tbsp,
• garlic – 1 clove.

Cooking process

Cut the eggplants into slices and let sit for 20 minutes. in a salt bath, dry. Chop the onion and garlic, fry in the “Baking” mode until golden brown. Add the seasoned minced meat to the onions and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Fill the mixture tomato paste, leave to simmer in the same mode for 10 minutes

During this time, thoroughly mix the grated cheese, eggs and sour cream, achieving a homogeneous thick mass. Open the bowl, place the eggplants on top of the minced meat and pour the sauce over the dish. Leave to cook for another 20 minutes until the vegetables are browned.

Moussaka with chicken and eggplant

Just as salads and casseroles with chicken are popular and tasty, Greek Moussaka goes well with poultry. The cooking method is similar to the classic recipe, only instead of minced meat, chicken fillet is finely chopped and fried with vegetables. The dish is laid out in layers and poured with a sufficient amount of bechamel sauce.