Bulgarian Mousakka Recipe
The Bulgarian moussaka is the most well-known dish of Bulgarian cuisine, which has not gained a great reputation in the world yet. Although it is a bit far from what we think of when we say moussaka, it is not a dish far from Turkish cuisine in terms of the ingredients and methods used.
When we say moussaka, many people think of eggplant moussaka. But there are actually different types of moussakas. Baked potato moussaka and mixed vegetable moussaka that I shared before are two of them. You can make any kind of moussaka by using other vegetables instead of eggplant.
What's the Difference Between Bulgarian Moussaka and Greek Moussaka?
In this respect, we cannot present Bulgarian moussaka as a very different dish, far from Turkish cuisine. What makes Bulgarian moussaka different for us is the sauce on it. As you know, Greek moussaka (moussaka with bechamel sauce) differs from our moussaka with the bechamel sauce on it. On the Bulgarian moussaka, there is a sauce with yoghurt, just like our elbasan tava recipe. The base is very roughly like Turkish ground beef potato stew recipe. Differently, it contains carrots and tomato paste is not used. But it doesn't taste very different.
In short, we are familiar with potatoes with ground beef and we are familiar with the Elbasan tava. You may think that when the two come together, a surprising flavor will not emerge. It is both so and not so. Yes, it's not a very surprising flavor, but something surprisingly beautiful comes out. The light sourness of the yogurt really suits the moussaka. Since the vegetables are not fried, they are roasted, it is a very light meal. You can't get enough of it.
My only recommendation for Bulgarian moussaka would be to use lean ground beef. Otherwise, it will be an excessively greasy and heavy meal.
Enjoy the recipe...
Bulgarian Mousakka Recipe with Video
Ingredients
- 1 kg of potatoes, diced,
- 300 g ground beef,
- 1 onion, diced,
- 2 carrots, chopped,
- 5 tablespoons of olive oil,
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 3 tomatoes / 1.5 cups grated tomato,
- 1 teaspoon of thyme,
- Salt,
- Black pepper.
For topping;
- 2 cups of plain yogurt,
- 3 eggs,
- 1 tablespoon of flour,
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Preparation
- heat olive oil in a large pan,
- Add into the onion and stir fry until translucent,
- Add tground beef and stir fry it until it changes colour,
- Add the diced carrots and potatoes and stir-fry for a few minutes more,
- Add the paprika and mix,
- Add the grated tomatoes and mix,
- Add water and mix,
- Add salt, pepper and thyme and mix,
- Pour the mixture into a suitable sized baking dish,
- Bake 25-30 minutes in a preheated oven at 190 C degrees,
- For the sauce, take yoghurt, egg, flour and salt in a bowl and whisk,
- Pour the mixture over the baking dish,
- Return the dish to the oven and bake until lightly browned.
Bon Appetit...
- B: How long do you bake it once you put the topping on? July 8, 2024 12:51 pm
- Kevser: It depends on your oven and the pan you use. So, you should observe-bake until it gets lightly brown. July 22, 2024 5:04 am