Moussakas, is the most famous Greek dish. Layered with sautéed slices of potatoes and eggplant with the meat sauce in the middle layer. Topped with béchamel sauce and myzithra cheese.
The vegetables are fried in extra virgin olive oil and left in a colander or on kitchen paper to drain any excess oil. A layer of vegetables is placed in a baking tin, then the meat sauce with ground pork or veal is added in the middle, then another layer of potatoes and eggplants and finally it is topped with a bechamel sauce. It is then baked in the oven.
This is the traditional way of making moussakas but if you want a lighter version of moussakas instead of frying the potatoes and eggplants you can brush them with olive oil and bake them in the oven or cook them on a non stick sauteing pan.
The Cypriot version of moussakas lies in the meat sauce and the spices used in it and of course local Cypriot cheese is used in the bechamel which would be either anari or halloumi.
A quite rich dish but so delicious!!
The recipe is included in my cookbook Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste as well as in Volume 1 of my e-cookbook, sold on all Amazon stores.
Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,
Tags: bechamel, Creams, Cypriot cookbook, Cyprus cuisine, Eggplants, Greek, Ground meat, Mint Cinnamon & Blossom Water Flavours of Cyprus Kopiaste!, Moussakas, Potatoes, Sauces, Traditional, Vegetables, video
potatoes and courgettes sound lovely in a moussaka, will have to try it again someday!
Courgettes are optional and I think you will love it once you’ve tried it as all the tourists who come to Greece are crazy about this dish.
Ivy thanks a million for these authentic Greek recipe links you gave me. Will have to come by soon again. Oh! and greetings from Trinidad and Tobago :^)
I am putting you on my blogroll. Thanks again.
Twitter: ivyliac
λέει:
Hi thanks for visiting and I have added you in my blogroll as well.
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[...] Moussakas, (which is a singular noun and not moussaka, plural moussakas) is one of the most known Greek dishes and the traditional way of making it is with layers of vegetables, with a meat sauce in the middle, again a layer of vegetables and topped with a béchamel sauce in which some myzithra is added to the sauce or grated on top. Doesn’t that sound delicious? Well if you want that version of moussakas you will find the recipe here. [...]
[...] Moussakas, (which is a singular noun and not moussaka, plural moussakas) is one of the most known Greek dishes and the traditional way of making it is with layers of vegetables, with a meat sauce in the middle, again a layer of vegetables and topped with a béchamel sauce in which some myzithra is added to the sauce or grated on top. Doesn’t that sound delicious? Well if you want that version of moussakas you will find the recipe here. [...]