Best 6 The Best Bulgarian Moussaka Recipes

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.

BULGARIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• In a frying pan put the oil, the beef, the tomato paste, cumin, black and white pepper, nutmeg and some salt and start frying forcing the meat with a fork to fall apart into crumbs.
• When all the meat is falling apart remove from the fire and drain the excess fat (although you could also add it to the baking tin).
• Peel the potatoes and chop them into small pieces (1/2" or a bit smaller).
• Put half of the potatoes in a deep baking tin, spread the meat mixture over them and top it with the rest of the potatoes; you could use a larger or a smaller diameter tin depending on how thick you want your moussaka to be.
• Add water until only half of the top layer of potatoes stays uncovered by it and break the stock cube over it (BE CAREFUL - if you opt not to use the cube you'll have to add some salt).
• Preheat the oven to a medium temperature and put the moussaka inches.
• In a bowl beat the yogurt with the eggs the thyme, a bit of salt and some black or white pepper if you want.
• When the water in the tin starts boiling and the potatoes start to cook, poor in the yogurt mixture taking care that it covers the potatoes entirely.
• Bake until the potatoes are done (about 45 min-1 h total baking time) but be careful not to burn the yogurt lid - you may want to lower the heat or to leave the oven heating from under the tin only.
• When ready take out of the oven and leave to cool a bit - potatoes cool very slowly.
• Serve very 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 (MUSAKA)

Steps:

• Heat oven at 200/180 fan/gas mark 6. Fry the onion and the Carrot (if using) in the oil for about 3 minutes. Add the mince and brown. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, paprika, summer savory, salt and some black pepper. Transfer to an oven proof dish, pour over hot water to cover it all. Cook for an hour.
• After about 40 minutes, start making the topping. Warm oil or melt butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir until slightly golden, couple of minutes. Gradually add the cold milk and keep mixing until smooth. Add the salt and a grind or two of black pepper. Add the 3 eggs to the sauce and mix well.
• The Moussaka should be about ready, the potatoes will be cooked and most of the water absorbed. Take the Moussaka out of the oven and pour over the topping. Add a sprinkle of cheese if you like. Pop back in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with green veggies if you like.

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.

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.