Moussaka

Moussaka(/muːˈsɑːkə/,UKalso/ˌmuːsəˈkɑː/,USalso/ˌmuːsɑːˈkɑː/) is aneggplant(aubergine)- or potato-based dish, often includingground meat, which is common in theBalkansand theMiddle East, with many local and regional variations.
The modernGreekvariant was created in the 1920s byNikolaos Tselementes. Many versions have a top layer made of milk-based sauce thickened with egg (custard) or flour (béchamel sauce). InGreece, the dish is layered and typically served hot.Tselementesalso proposed a vegan variant fororthodox fast days. Romania also has a vegan version that replaces meat with mushrooms or a mix of sautéed onions and rice.
The versions inEgypt,Turkeyand the rest of theMiddle Eastare quite different. In Egypt,messa'aacan be madeveganorvegetarianas well as with meat; in all cases, the main ingredient is the fried eggplant. In Turkey,mussakaconsists of thinly sliced and fried eggplant served in a tomato-based meat sauce, warm or at room temperature. InSaudi Arabia,muṣagga‘ais eaten hot, but in otherArab countries, it is often eaten cold, but occasionally hot as well.
TheEnglishname for moussaka was borrowed fromGreekmousakás(μουσακάς) and from otherBalkan languages, all borrowed fromOttoman Turkish, which in turn borrοwed it fromArabicmuṣaqqa‘a(مصقعة,lit.'pounded'or'cold'). The word is first attested in English in 1862, writtenmùzàkkà.
Most versions are based primarily onsautéedaubergine(eggplant) andtomato, usually with minced meat, mostly lamb. TheGreekversion includes layers of meat and eggplant topped with abéchamel ("white") sauceand baked.
The modern Greek version was created by the French-trained Greek chefNikolaos Tselementesin the 1920s.His recipe has three layers that are separately cooked before being combined for the final baking: a bottom layer of sliced eggplant sautéed in olive oil; a middle layer of ground lamb lightly cooked with chopped or puréed tomatoes, onion,garlic, andspices(cinnamon,allspiceandblack pepper); and a top layer ofbéchamel sauceor savourycustard.
There are variations on this basic recipe, sometimes with no top sauce, sometimes with other vegetables.  Such variants may include, in addition to the eggplant slices, sautéedzucchini(courgette) slices, part-fried potato slices, or sautéedmushrooms. There is afast-day(vegan) version in Tselementes' cookbook, which includes neither meat nor dairy products, just vegetables (ground eggplant is used instead of ground meat), tomato sauce, and bread crumbs.
Another variant is(melitzanes) papoutsakia(μελιτζάνες) παπουτσάκια(lit.'eggplant, little shoe style') which consists of whole small eggplants stuffed with ground meat and topped with béchamel and baked.
InAlbania,Bulgaria,theformer Yugoslavia,andRomania, potatoes are used instead of eggplant, pork or beef mince, and the top layer is usually milk or yogurt mixed with raw eggs, sometimes with a small amount of flour added. There is also a three-layer version: the bottom layer consists of ground pork and beef, the middle layer of potato slices, and the top layer is typically acustard. Each layer is cooked on its own and layered in a pan and baked until the top is browned.
Typically, the Romanian version is made with potatoes or eggplant or cabbage. The layers start with the vegetable, then the layer of meat (usually pork), then vegetables, until the pot is full. Sometimes bread crumbs are used as a topping, sometimes slices of tomatoes and crushed cheese. The pot is then filled with tomato sauce. There is also a pasta variant, with pasta being used instead of vegetables. The "fasting" variant, which isvegan, replaces meat with mushrooms or a mix of sautéed onions and rice.
In the rest of theBalkans, the top layer is often acustard: this is the version introduced to the UK byElizabeth David'sMediterranean Cookeryand where it remains the usual presentation. Gratedcheeseor bread crumbs are often sprinkled on top.
In theLevant, moussaka is a cooked dish made up primarily of tomatoes and eggplant, similar toSiciliancaponata, and may also includechickpeas. It may be served cold as amezzedish, or hot.
TheEgyptianversion of moussaka is made from layers of fried eggplant immersed in tomato sauce and then baked. A layer of seasoned cooked ground beef is usually added between the eggplant before baking. The dish can be served hot but is usually chilled for a day or so to improve the taste.
Turkishmusakkais not layered.Instead, thinly sliced eggplant isfriedand served in tomato-based meat sauce seasoned withgreen peppers, garlic andonions.It is generally eaten withpilavandcacık. There are also variants withzucchini(courgettes,kabak musakka), carrots (havuç musakka) and potatoes (patates musakka).