Sunday 27 June 2021

Mousakas

 Another greek classic.  Most visitors know all about mousaka and my nieces  make it when they return home downunder.  It's a very heavy, rich dish.  Made with summer vegetables, aubergines and zucchini and I add potatoes as well.


Containers ready for home delivery.  Nicely packaged so they can pop the bowls in the freezer, if any is left over.


I couldn't resist.  I had to do a taste control before taking the photo.

This mousaka was one of the most calorific I have ever made.  Traditionally the vegetables are fried but for many years now I have baked them in the oven, oil free, before constructing the layers.
K insisted on helping and doing it the way his mother did.  Fry everything in plenty of her own healthy olive oil.

Mousaka consists of a layer of sliced aubergine,  thinly sliced  potato, zucchini then topped with minced beef stewed in fresh tomatoes with a big stick of cinnamon and covered finally in a thick layer of white sauce with a hint of nutmeg.

My new ideal is layers of baked aubergines and zucchini, boiled potatoes, a fresh tomato sauce without the cinnamon but with plenty of summer herbs and a topping of white sauce made with plant milk.  No oil and no meat.  It's a much lighter version, far better suited to this searing summer heat.  But not traditional alas.

18 comments:

  1. As we do not have your searing heat, I'll have the heavy one please!

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    1. You'll need to walk up all your hills, round the harbour and run a marathon with p after one of these pieces!
      Worth it though

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  2. I love Mousaka and remember having it often at a Greek Restaurant when I lived in London prior to moving to NZ. In summer I sometimes make a similar dish using a layer aubergine and a layer of mushrooms with pesto repeated and a topping of yogurt and eggs with a cheese sprinkled on top.

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    Replies
    1. I've seen some people use a yoghurt topping. But it's that thick sauce on top that makes all the difference.
      I remember eating some in a Greek restaurant in Wellington 50-odd years ago. It had a mashed potato topping.

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    2. The egg mixed with the yogurt makes it quite thick. Can't imagine mashed potato

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  3. I love Moussaka, and make a reasonable imitation myself. Minced Lamb is unavailable here; I use beef. In Rick Stein's Venice to Istanbul series, he meets someone in Turkey who claims Moussaka to be Turkish. I'm surprised this didn't start a war!

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    1. Yes, it just might start a war. This is one dish that is said to have been invented by a Greek chef. No hint of turkey here. Horrors!
      We always use beef. Don't think I've ever seen minced lamb on sale

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  4. I also make it here a lot, always without cinnamon.

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    1. I don't like cinnamon with meat but k loved it.

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  5. The food where you live always looks so delicious.

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    1. It does get boring after a while. There's not much choice, no Asian or Indian or fast food

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  6. That looks really yummy, although the traditional version does sound rather 'loaded.' It is not something I have every tried, but should put it on my bucket list!

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    1. It's a very heavy dish. Too rich for summer but the vegetables are on season

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  7. We love mousaka and make ours from a recipe in an old Tess Mallos recipe book - no spuds in hers but we've taken notes. We could only contemplate it as winter food!

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    1. I just googled Tess. Her recipes look good. I have a couple of Australian written Greek cook books. I'll have to look at the authors.
      Many Greeks I know don't put zucchini in moussaka . Most people use potatoes. Probably just what's on hand

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  8. Both versions sound really good.

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  9. What a great idea. Baking the veggies
    Although I’d still like the mince meat lol
    It all looks delish

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