The potatoes bake raw with the mince, so there is no need to fry or boil them first. Add the topping near the end, or it stays pale and wet.
Ingredients
For the filling
- 3 tbspsunflower oil (45 ml)
- 1onion, finely chopped
- 500 gminced meat (pork or mixed)
- 1 tspsweet paprika
- 1 kgpotatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
- 2tomatoes, finely chopped
- 30 gparsley, finely chopped (half a bunch)
- 1.5 tspsalt
- ½ tspground black pepper
- 100 mlwater (half a teacup)
For the topping
- 200 gyogurt (half a tub)
- 2 tbspflour
- 3eggs
- 1 pinchsalt
You will need: a 25×35 cm baking dish at least 5 cm deep, a large frying pan, aluminium foil
Method
Cut the vegetables
Peel 1 kg of potatoes and cut them into 1.5 cm cubes so they bake evenly. Finely chop 1 onion, 2 tomatoes and 30 g of parsley.
Fry the minced meat
Heat 3 tbsp of oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the onion and stir for 3 minutes, until it is soft and clear. Add 500 g of minced meat and fry for another 8 minutes, breaking up the lumps with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink and the liquid has boiled off. Take the pan off the heat and stir in 1 tsp of paprika – over high heat it turns bitter.
Fill the dish
Put the meat and onion, potatoes, tomatoes, parsley, 1.5 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of black pepper in the baking dish. Pour in 100 ml of water, mix well and level the top.
Cover and bake
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 190°C for 45 minutes. It is ready when a fork slides easily into a potato and the cubes still hold their shape. The foil traps the steam – without it, the potatoes on top dry out.
Whisk the topping
While the potatoes bake, put 200 g of yogurt in a bowl and sift 2 tbsp of flour over it. Whisk until no lumps are left, then add 3 eggs and 1 pinch of salt and whisk until smooth.
Whisk the flour into the yogurt first, not the eggs – this stops lumps forming.
Pour on the topping and bake
Take the dish out, remove the foil and spread the topping evenly over the top. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the middle does not wobble when you shake the dish.
Let it rest
Leave the moussaka out of the oven for 10 minutes. The topping sets and the slices cut more cleanly, without falling apart.
How to serve
Serve it warm, cut into squares, with 1–2 tbsp of cold yogurt on top and a shopska salad or pickled gherkins on the side.
How to store
Covered in the fridge, it keeps for 3 days. Reheat the slices under foil in the oven at 160°C for 15 minutes. Do not freeze it, because the topping separates.
What you can swap
- Instead of pork mince, use a mix of pork and veal in equal parts.
- Instead of fresh tomatoes, use 200 g of canned chopped tomatoes, without the liquid.
- No yogurt? Use 200 ml of fresh milk. The topping will be softer and less tangy.
Questions and answers
How long do the potatoes for moussaka take to bake?
Under foil at 190°C they need 45 minutes. If a fork still meets resistance, bake for 10 minutes more before you pour on the topping.
Why does the moussaka topping split or go lumpy?
Most often the flour was not whisked well into the yogurt, or the oven was too hot. Whisk the flour with the yogurt until smooth and keep the oven at 200°C or below.
Can moussaka be made the day before?
Yes. Bake it under foil for 45 minutes without the topping, let it cool and put it in the fridge. The next day, pour on freshly whisked topping and bake for 25 minutes at 200°C.
Is moussaka suitable for children?
Yes. If you leave out the paprika and black pepper, the dish is not spicy at all. The meat and potatoes are soft and easy to chew.
Did you know?
Bulgarian moussaka is made with potatoes and minced meat, not aubergines and béchamel like the Greek version, and it is topped with yogurt and eggs.
Per serving (approx.): 690 kcal · protein 34 g · fat 36 g · carbohydrates 55 g