Tasty Moussaka

So many recipes and variations to choose from. The definition of the word “Moussaka” comes from the Arabic language and means chilled. In the Middle East, Moussaka can be served cold like a salad. In Greece, Moussaka has been upgraded with eggplants and topped with a Béchamel sauce and cheese. In Turkey, Moussaka has been mixed with green peppers, courgettes or carrot. I provide you my classic Tasty Moussaka.

As I previously mentioned I have spent some part of my life in Bulgaria. It has influenced me tremendously. The Bulgarian cuisine is filled with fresh, clean and yummy ingredients. Today, I present you a humble slow cooking dish. My Moussaka is a very simple minced beef with tomatoes, finished with a delicious mixture of yoghurt and eggs. A perfect healthy meal accompanied by a green salad. Добър апетит!

Total Time: 2 hours

Shopping List

The Moussaka:
2 splashes of olive oil
500g of good quality minced beef
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons of satureja
Sea salt and ground black pepper
2 large tomatoes, washed and finely chopped
1 handful of fresh parsley, washed and chopped
1kg of potatoes, peeled, washed and finely chopped
2 whole eggs
1 tablespoon of plain flour
400g of plain yoghurt

The Salad:
Green salad of your liking (Iceberg, Rocket, Lettuce, Little Gem), washed and torn in pieces
A splash of olive oil
1 teaspoon of Dijon Mustard and honey
½ lemon
Sea salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

The Moussaka

Heat up 2 splashes of olive oil in a deep-frying pan on high heat.
Onion in and sauté for about 3 minutes until it softens.
Stir in the mince. Beat it until you get a nice smooth brown texture, in about 3 more minutes.

Season with sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and satureja. Be generous.

Add tomatoes and parsley. Mix and taste.

Lower the heat to medium and throw all the potatoes in. Baste it with 1 cup of hot boiling water and season with sea salt. Give it a good stir and cover with a lid.
Simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes get softer.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Once the potatoes get softer, mold the mix into a medium baking tray (I used 30cm x 20cm) and smoothen the top with spatula.

Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until the potatoes are ready and the mix gets beautifully golden. Yummy.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl place eggs, flour and yoghurt. Whisk for a bit, so you get a homogenous sauce.
After 30 minutes, mold the mixture over the top and bake for 15 more minutes until it darkens a bit. Done.

The Salad

While the Moussaka is in the oven, prepare The Salad. In a small mixing bowl place olive oil, sea salt, ground black pepper, Dijon Mustard, honey and lemon. Mix with a balloon whisk and taste. Season accordingly.

Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and enjoy.

Serve warm or cold with a glass of full-flavoured red wine.

Makes 5 serves.