What about Greek Moussaka ?

The history of Moussaka

Moussaka is a mediterranean food, widely known with many many variants. Unexpectedly the word moussaka is not Greek, is Turkish. But also the Turkish definition ”musakka” comes from the Arabic ”musaqqa’a” which means cold, ice and white. There are unwritten recipes about how to make a moussaka plate. In all variations, moussaka without eggplants is not possible. Until the 1900s this food was a simple plate with vegetables and meat. After the 20th century, it was presented through recipes of Greek head chef Nikolaos Tselementes who trained in France. Nikolaos made the final Greek version of moussaka, adding to the basic recipe, topped-bechamel tasty and fluffy. This new version it became quickly a favourite dish in Greece.

How to make it

In Greek version of moussaka, we cut potatoes and eggplants in thin slices, and fry in olive oil. After that, we lay them in a square pan and cover them with cooked mincemeat in tomato sauce. For more taste, put some “kefalotyri” (greek hard yellow cheese) grated in the middle. One more last step is to cover all with delicious white bechamel on the top. Finally, bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes. You have just created an excellent main dish!

However, I propose other favorite ways to make it, with potatoes, zucchini, or a combination of vegetables and always eggplants. Moussaka is connected with different gastronomy culture, a demanding meal needs passion and more than twenty ingredients to make the desired result. Some tips to prepare a special plate of moussaka and impress your friends is: make the right choice of fresh ingredients and be sure you follow exactly the instructions, to have an excellent result!

Greek cuisine is famous about the fresh ingredients and the simplicity of presentation. Moussaka, pastitsio, souvlaki, tzatziki, greek salad are some traditional Greek foods. More and more tourists are looking to try new local foods in all places. Every corner in our country has a different traditional food. Lefkada island has its topical cuisine with all fresh and local products. So, a good plate of Moussaka in a combination of our beautiful sunsets is a perfect place to relax and enjoy nice holidays! After that, drink a coffee during the beautiful sunset and don’t forget to tasty our delicious honey in small villages of the island!