Balkan Style Moussaka Recipes

MOUSSAKA WITH ROASTED MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees with racks positioned in the middle and lower third. Slice eggplants lengthwise, about 1/3 inch thick. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and brush foil with olive oil. Place slices on the foil, season to taste with salt, and brush with olive oil. Place in oven and roast until soft and browned in spots, about 20 minutes, switching the pans top to bottom after 10 minutes. When done slices will look dry on the surface but when you pierce them with a knife you should be able to see that the flesh is soft. Remove from oven and carefully fold foil up over eggplant to make a foil packet, taking care not to burn yourself. It doesn't matter if the eggplant slices pile onto each other. Crimp edges of foil so that eggplant is sealed in the packet and leave to steam inside foil for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile make the meat and tomato filling. In a large, deep skillet or casserole heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and raise heat to medium-high. Stir in ground beef or lamb and brown for about 3 minutes. Stir in roasted mushroom mix, tomatoes, paprika, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, sugar, bay leaf, salt and enough water to barely cover meat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick and very fragrant. Cook uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes, until liquid in pan is just about gone. Remove bay leaf, taste and add salt and pepper, and remove from heat. Allow mixture to cooled slightly, then stir in 1 beaten egg and parsley.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 3-quart baking dish or gratin dish. Make an even layer of half the eggplant slices over the bottom, and spread all of meat sauce on top in one layer. Top with remaining eggplant. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat together eggs and yogurt, season with salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and stir in pepper and paprika. Pour over top of moussaka, scraping out every last drop with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over the top. Return to oven and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve warm.

AUTHENTIC GREEK MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and place in a colander set in the sink or over a plate. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour so the salt can draw out any bitterness.
• Meanwhile, make bechamel sauce. Heat milk in a saucepan almost to a boil. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until a smooth paste forms. Lower heat and gradually pour in hot milk, whisking constantly until bechamel sauce thickens. Season with salt. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Rinse eggplant slices under cold running water. Squeeze out liquid and pat dry with paper towels. Whisk egg yolks into the cooled bechamel.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and cook eggplant slices in batches until each side is lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a large plate lined with paper towels.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Cook grated onion until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground beef. Cook and stir until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Season with allspice, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
• Stir in tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until all excess liquid has evaporated and mixture appears dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the egg white.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant in the prepared baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the beef mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Cover with remaining eggplant and sprinkle another 1/3 of Parmesan cheese on top. Pour bechamel sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top of the moussaka is set and golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

BALKAN-STYLE MOUSSAKA RECIPE

Steps:

• Salt the eggplant slices generously and place them in a bowl or colander for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, cook the lamb (or beef) in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up the meat until browned and the fat has rendered, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour off the fat. Set the meat aside in a bowl. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits. Add the scrapings to the meat.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, the browned meat, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, sugar, bay leaf, salt to taste, and one-half to 1 cup hot water (enough to cover the meat). Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick and fragrant. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid is almost gone, about 5 to 10 minutes more.
• Remove the bay leaf, stir in pepper to taste, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust for salt (remember, the eggplant will be salty).
• Cool the mixture slightly, then stir in one beaten egg and the parsley. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels. Place them on baking sheets brushed with olive oil and brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and reduce the oven to 350 degrees.
• Brush a 3-quart baking or gratin dish with the remaining oil. Make an even layer of half the eggplant over the bottom, and spread on all of the meat sauce in one layer. Top with a layer of the remaining eggplant.
• Bake the moussaka for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Beat the remaining 6 eggs and mix them with the yogurt. Season with three-fourths teaspoon of salt (or to taste), pepper (to taste) and a pinch of paprika. Pour over the moussaka.
• Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the topping and bake for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, then place under the broiler for 1 minute or so until light golden brown on top. Watch carefully because it browns quickly. Serve warm.

BOSNIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• First cut eggplant and tomato into slices.
• Add eggplants and tomatoes in to a pan and sauté them with a little oil and season them with salt and pepper.
• Fry the chopped onion, add the minced meat, dried vegetables and pepper.
• Cook the minced meat with a little water for 15-20 minutes.
• Use a baking dish and at the bottom cover with part of the eggplant, then spread over the eggplant with the prepared tomato, then put breadcrumbs over and drizzle the moussaka with a little oil.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F/220° C and place the moussaka and bake for about 20 minutes.
• You can serve it hot and with sour milk.

BALKAN-STYLE MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Salt the eggplant slices generously and place them in a bowl or colander for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, cook the lamb (or beef) in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up the meat 5 to 10 minutes until browned and the fat has rendered. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour off the fat. Set the meat aside in a bowl. Add a couple Tbsps. water to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits. Add the scrapings to the meat.
• Heat 2 Tbsps. olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute until fragrant.
• Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, the browned meat, 1/2 teaspoons paprika, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, sugar, bay leaf, salt and 1/2 to 1 cup hot water (enough to cover the meat). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick and fragrant. Cook, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid is almost gone.
• Remove the bay leaf, stir in pepper and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust for salt (remember, the eggplant will be salty).
• Cool the mixture slightly, then stir in one beaten egg and the parsley. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels. Place them on baking sheets brushed with olive oil and brush the tops with the remaining 2 Tbsps. olive oil. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and reduce the oven to 350 degrees.
• Brush a 3-quart baking or gratin dish with the remaining oil. Make an even layer of half the eggplant over the bottom, and spread on all the meat sauce in one layer. Top with a layer of the remaining eggplant.
• Bake the moussaka 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Beat the remaining 6 eggs and mix them with the yogurt. Season with 3/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste), pepper and a pinch paprika. Pour over the moussaka.
• Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the topping and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes, then place under the broiler 1 minute or until light golden brown on top. Watch carefully because it browns quickly. Serve warm.

THE BEST BULGARIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan. Add the ground beef, the onion, the tomatoes, salt, black paper, oregano. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally until the liquids from the tomatoes are almost evaporated and the mixture become dry.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Spray the bottom of a square baking pan. Arrange 2 sliced potatoes on the bottom of the pan, sprinkle with salt and black paper, cover with ground beef mixture and cover with the remaining potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and black paper. Add 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup water. The liquid must almost cover the last level of potato slices. Pour into the preheated oven and bake about 45 minutes or until the liquid is evaporated. If the potatoes start to burn too much and the liquid is not evaporated yet, cover with baking paper.
• Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl beat eggs, add milk and the flour. Add salt, black paper, fresh parsley or dry oregano. Pour over the already dried moussaka. Bake 5 more minutes or until the top is golden brown and crispy. Serve warm.

BULGARIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and ground pork and cook until brown and crumbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard fat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, carrot, onion, celery, parsley stems, and tomatoes. Mix to combine. Stir in bell pepper and season with paprika, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper. Cook until vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Transfer meat mixture to a large baking pan.
• Heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet and cook potatoes until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the baking pan and mix well with the meat mixture.
• Bake moussaka in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove baking dish from the oven and mix in chopped parsley leaves.
• Stir eggs, yogurt, flour, and baking soda together in a bowl until it turns into a spreadable mixture. Pour over the meat mixture in the baking dish.
• Return baking dish to the oven and cook until the top is golden brown, about 15 more minutes.