One of the most popular dishes among the peoples of the Middle East and the Balkans is moussaka, a layered vegetable casserole with sauce. There are many recipes for making musaka, which is not surprising given the territory of its distribution. For this reason, the composition of the moussaki may be different. Most often it includes eggplant and minced meat. Moussaka can also be vegetarian, but it’s considered to be exactly moussaka with minced meat, which is most often lamb, less often beef or made from poultry meat. A variety of minced meat, of course, leaves an imprint on the taste of the finished dish, but this does not mean that it is tastier from one meat than from another. You can choose any recipe without fear. The main thing is to know the technology of preparation of the Musaka, and then the result will not disappoint.
Cooking Features
Considering the wide variety of recipes of moussaki with minced meat, one can guess that it is not always prepared using the same technology. However, the principles of cooking this delicious dish are about the same and do not depend on the selected recipe.
- One of the main ingredients of the moussin is eggplant. Recipes, when they are not used and replaced by other vegetables, exist, but not so many. Baked eggplants turn out to be tender and have a unique taste, which makes the taste of the musaka itself unique. However, eggplants can spoil the taste of a dish if they are not prepared in advance. This preparation consists of two stages. At the first stage, the corned beef is removed - a harmful substance that gives the "blue" bitterness. “Pulling” it is possible with the help of salt: eggplants are sprinkled with salt or soaked in brine (10 g of salt per 1 l of water) for about 20 minutes, then washed. In the second stage, the eggplants are fried, so that they bake faster and get a richer taste.
- The second important ingredient in the musaka with minced meat is minced meat. As already mentioned, the type of meat does not matter, only its quality is important. Cooking minced meat at home, you can be sure of the quality of the meat used to make it. When buying ready-made mince in the store such confidence can not be. Therefore, if you want to make a truly delicious moussaka, the mince is better for her to make with his own hands.
- In order for the moussaka to crumble faster, the mince should be pre-fry. When roasting minced meat, it is most often added to it tomatoes or tomato paste. This gives it a sour tomato flavor and juiciness.
- Moussaka is not an ordinary casserole with vegetables and minced meat, but a puff. It is very important to lay out the ingredients in its composition in a baking dish alternately. Eggplants are put first, the next layer is usually minced, then the rest of the vegetables are laid out. Finally, everything is poured with sauce and put in the oven. The most commonly used sauce is bechamel or similar, made on the basis of milk, thickened with flour.
Otherwise, the technology of preparation depends on the specific recipe, and should be based on the accompanying instructions.
Moussaka with minced lamb
Composition:
- eggplants - 1 kg;
- onions - 0, 2 kg;
- mutton mince - 0, 5 kg;
- fresh tomatoes - 0, 3 kg;
- dried tomatoes - 150 g;
- dry red wine - 150 ml;
- cheese - 100 g;
- butter - 70 g;
- milk - 0, 25 l;
- flour - 30 g;
- salt, seasonings - to taste;
- vegetable oil - how much will leave.
Method of preparation:
- Clean the eggplants, slice them along the oblong plates about 7-8 mm thick. Sprinkle with salt and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse well in running water and dry with paper napkins.
- Fry the eggplants lightly in butter or bake, after having been oiled. Put on a napkin so that it absorbs excess fat. It is especially important to remove excess oil in the event that eggplants are fried in a pan.
- Put the eggplants in shape, forming the bottom layer. If desired, they can be divided in half so that the layers in the casserole were thinner - then the taste will be more harmonious.
- Boil fresh tomatoes with boiling water and peel. Their pulp rub on a coarse grater.
- Cut dried tomatoes into 4 pieces.
- Peel the onions and cut them into small cubes.
- Put minced meat in a frying pan with vegetable oil. Fry it on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Add onion to the mince, continue frying for another 5 minutes.
- Add mashed fresh tomatoes to the mince, stew for 10 minutes.
- Put dried tomatoes in a pan with minced meat, add salt, spices, wine and cook until it is completely evaporated.
- In a clean skillet, melt the butter and whisk it with a whisk, stir in the flour.
- A thin stream, whipping whipping the sauce, pour in the milk and boil the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens.
- Spread the minced meat over the eggplants so that the layers of minced meat and vegetables alternate. Pour all the sauce.
- Finely rub the cheese and sprinkle them on the casserole.
- Cover with foil.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees and send the form with the musaka into it. Bake for 30 minutes. Foil remove 15 minutes before the readiness of the dish.
Moussaka, prepared according to this recipe, has a unique savory taste. It turns out nourishing and can completely replace lunch.
Moussaka with ground beef
Composition:
- eggplants - 0.5 kg;
- potatoes - 0, 3 kg;
- ground beef - 0, 5 kg;
- onions - 100 g;
- garlic - 2 cloves;
- tomato paste - 50 g;
- cheese - 0, 2 kg;
- cream - 0, 4 l;
- flour - 40 g;
- salt, black pepper - to taste;
- vegetable oil - how much will leave.
Method of preparation:
- Wash the eggplants and cut them into circles about half a centimeter thick. Prepare the brine by dissolving a tablespoon of salt in two liters of water. Dip the eggplants in for 20 minutes, then rinse them and blot with paper napkins.
- Lightly browns the eggplants in a pan in vegetable oil, put in a baking dish.
- Finely chop the peeled onions, put in the stuffing.
- Crush the garlic into it.
- Add salt and pepper to the mince. Put in pan with hot oil. Cook, stirring, for 15 minutes. Add tomato paste, mix. Fry another 5 minutes and remove from heat.
- Put half the minced meat on the eggplants.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into thin slices, place on the mince.
- Put the remaining mince.
- Pour the flour into a dry frying pan and fry it until you get a caramel shade. Pour in a thin stream of cream, simultaneously beating them with a whisk.
- Cook the sauce, stirring for 5 minutes. Pour them moussaka.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, put the form with the musaka into it. Cover the form with foil. Bake 45 minutes. 15 minutes before the readiness remove the foil and sprinkle the grated mousaka with cheese.
By the same recipe, mouzaka with minced chicken can be made. At the same time, cooking time should not be reduced, since otherwise potatoes may not be baked.
Moussaka with minced meat is a great lunch option. Tasty and hearty casserole with vegetables, minced meat, cream sauce and cheese like almost everyone.
