Romanian Mousaka Recipes

MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the beef is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, fines herbs and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
• To make the bechamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the meat. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

POTATO MOUSSAKA - ROMANIAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Chop the onions finely. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy bottom pan or Dutch oven and fry the onions gently until they are translucent.
• Add the ground meat and fry it until brown, stirring and breaking the lumps while it cooks.
• In the meantime, peel the potatoes and slice them very thinly. Use a mandoline for this task, it guarantees for thin and regular potato slices which will cook evenly in the oven. Set aside.
• When the meat is brown, add dried savory/thyme, sweet ground paprika, salt and pepper to taste.
• Oil a medium, deeper casserole dish with a little of the remaining oil.
• Divide the potato slices into 3 batches. Arrange the first batch of potatoes in a double layer into the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with half of the ground meat.
• Arrange another double layer of potato slices on top of that, adding salt and pepper again. Cover with the rest of the meat and add the last batch of potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper again.
• Mix the tomato puree with about 50 ml/ 1.7 fl.oz/ ¼ cup water to make it a bit runnier. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish. Add more water to barely fill the casserole dish, the upper layer of potatoes should not be covered in water though. Pour the remaining oil on top of the casserole.
• Bake the potato moussaka for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Check the potatoes and prolong the cooking time if they are not soft yet.
• If the casserole dish gets too dark on top, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, you should check after about half the time and cover the dish if necessary.
• Serve with pickled vegetables or salad.

ROMANIAN AUTHENTIC POTATO MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Wash the skin of potatoes really well using a kitchen brush.
• In a big pot, place the potatoes and enough water to cover them. Boil the potatoes until tender(or a fork goes through them).
• When the potatoes are boiled, remove the pot from the stove, drain the water, and set the potatoes aside to cool.
• While the potatoes are cooling, brown the ground meat in a pan with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
• Add chopped onion, salt, pepper, and paprika mix well, and continue to brown the meat and the onions together.
• When the meat is ready, add the crushed/diced tomatoes or the can of tomato sauce.
• Mix well and cook on medium heat for few minutes until the liquid is reduced and the sauce is formed.
• Add the chopped parsley and mix well.
• Separately, beat the eggs and mix them with the sour cream and the shredded cheese.
• Remove the skin of the potatoes and discard them. Slice the potatoes.
• Butter and flour/bread crumbs an 8x8 inches baking dish.
• Place slices of potatoes on the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of meat mixture.
• Add another layer of sliced potatoes, another layer of meat, and repeat until you finish all ingredients.
• The last layer should be potatoes.
• Beat the eggs, mix them with sour cream and cheese. Add a little bit of salt to your taste. Pour this mixture over the last layer of potatoes.
• Bake in the oven at 350F for about an hour or until golden brown on top.
• Cut in squares and serve warm topped with sour cream.

MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Heat a frying pan over a high heat. Drizzle 4 tbsp of the oil over the slices of aubergine and fry them in several batches for 5-7 mins or until golden brown and beginning to soften. If they look a little dry during cooking, add a dash more olive oil. Set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the mince and fry for 8-10 mins until a deep golden brown, regularly stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon. Tip into a bowl and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the casserole. Tip in the onion along with a pinch of salt and fry gently for 10-12 mins or until softened and turning translucent. Add the garlic, oregano, cinnamon, chilli and bay cooking for a further min. Return the lamb to the pan and pour in the red wine, bring to a bubble and reduce the wine by half. Stir through the tomatoes, tomato purée and brown sugar, along with 200ml water. Season. Lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 mins, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened.
• Heat oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 4. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the potato slices and cook for 6 mins, drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for 10 mins.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the flour and cook over a medium heat for 1 min. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, pouring in a bit at a time, until smooth. Return to the heat and bring to a simmer, cooking for 3 mins. Remove from the heat and whisk through the parmesan, a little grated nutmeg and some seasoning, and finally the whole egg as well as the yolk.
• Take a large rectangular ovenproof dish. Spoon a third of the meat into the dish and spread out evenly, followed by half the aubergine and half the potato, then the rest of the meat and another layer of aubergines, followed by potatoes. Finish with the béchamel, smoothing the top over with a palette knife. Put in the centre of the oven and cook for 50 mins or until deep golden brown. If it browns too much during cooking, cover the dish. Set aside for 10 mins to cool before serving.

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.

CROATIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Cut an X in bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch tomatoes together in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to cool. Peel off skin with paring knife, beginning from scored end, and discard. Finely chop tomatoes.
• Peel potatoes and cut into slices slightly less than 1/4 inch thick.
• Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart pot over moderately high heat until it registers 370°F on thermometer. Fry potatoes in 6 batches, turning over occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes per batch, transferring with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 370°F between batches.)
• Heat butter in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then add onion and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add beef and sauté, stirring occasionally and breaking up large lumps with a wooden spoon, until meat is no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all of liquid is evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and bread crumbs until just combined.
• Arrange one third of potatoes, overlapping slightly, in a buttered 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish, then spread with half of beef mixture. Repeat layering with potatoes and beef, ending with a third layer of potatoes.
• Make topping and bake moussaka:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Whisk together butter, eggs, milk, cheese, and bread crumbs until just combined, then pour evenly over potatoes.
• Bake until golden brown and bubbling around edges, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

ROMANIAN MOUSAKA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan or wok and use to fry the potatoes for about 10 minutes or until just softened.
• Add the onions and fry for a further 10 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to an oven-proof casserole dish then top with the meat and tomatoes.
• Season with salt and black pepper then stir to combine.
• Pour the beef stock over the top then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170°C and bake for about 60 minutes. Serve hot.

AUTHENTIC TRADITIONAL MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Before starting anything it must be noted that Moussaka, in every Greek home, is made in 3 'stages'. The preparation of the meat sauce, the vegetable cooking and layering and finally the bechamel cream.
• FOR THE MEAT SAUCE:.
• Pour the oil into a deep large pan and heat it slightly. Crumble the minced beef into the oil together with the onion and garlic. Brown everything well, stirring constantly so the beef does not clump. Pour in the wine and allow everything to boil until the wine evaporates. Add the fresh tomato, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper and stir regularly while waiting for the tomato to soften well. Pour in the tomato juice, stir everything and allow it to cook and thicken. Finally, pour in the water and, over a medium flame, allow the sauce to cook until the beef is tender and the liquids have evaporated by at least 2/3 and the sauce is thick.
• WHILE THE MEAT SAUCE IS COOKING PREPARE THE VEGETABLES:.
• Cut the eggplants into medium slices and soak them in salted water for 1 hour before your commence your sauce so everything will be more conveniently timed. This soaking removes the bitterness in the eggplant skins and also helps them not to absorb so much oil while frying. Remove the eggplants from the eater, strain them well and then dry them on a kitchen towel to absorb any excess water. Fry the potato slices and then strain them on kitchen paper. Oil your moussaka plan with the tablespoons of olive oil and created a layer with the fried potatoes taking care not to leave any gaps. Fry the eggplants and again strain them on kitchen paper and place then in a layer on top of the sliced potatoes. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the grated cheese on the eggplant layer.
• Strain the meat sauce of any excess oil (otherwise your moussaka will be too greasy) and then pour it evenly on top of the eggplant. Sprinkle the sauce with the 2nd tablespoon of grated cheese and then prepare your Bechamel Cream.
• FOR THE BECHAMEL CREAM:.
• This is an age old recipe handed down from mother to daughter, in my family, and then finally from my mother down to me. I strongly recommend that you avoid the temptation to adjust it as the extraordinary delight you will get when you taste it atop of traditional country moussaka, will leave an aftertaste that will linger in your memory for days.
• Melt the butter in a pot, over a low flame, and add the flour stirring with a wooden spoon until the flour and butter combine to make a roux. Quickly add the 4 of the cups of milk and keep stirring with a whisk until the mixture becomes almost creamy and when it starts to thicken a lot, add the remaining milk and the beaten eggs (after the milk). Continue stirring until everything has combined evenly and is a thick creamy texture - this may take some effort (if you have lumps, use an electric hand mixer in it for a couple of minutes and they will dissolve). Add the sugar, mix it in well, the salt, pepper, cinnamon and cheese and mix everything well until it acquires its creamy texture again. Allow it to bubble over a low flame for about 1 minute, while stirring constantly. If your cream is too thick, add a little more milk or water and stir it in well until it obtains the desired thickness. If, on the other hand, your cream is a little too thin, let it stand for about 5 minutes and it will thicken as it cools, and then use it.
• Pour the Bechamel cream evenly on top of the meat sauce and add the dabs of margarine to the surface of the cream in various places. Bake the moussaka in a medium preheated oven at 180ºC - 350ºF, for about 30 minutes, or until the cream unevenly gently browns in places. Allow the moussaka to cool for about 20 minutes and then cut it into servings.