Moussaka (Greek version)

Moussaka is a popular meal in the Middle East and the Balkans. It’s basically a vegetable casserole that’s layered like a lasagna but isn’t made with pasta but rather vegetables instead. I’ve tried many moussaka recipes, all of which were meatless; however, some recipes I’ve seen call for ground lamb or ground beef.

My husband, Kemal, a native of the former Yugoslavia, introduced me to this wonderful vegetable entree many years ago. The recipe varies from region to region, but regardless of how it’s made, I never met a moussaka I didn’t love!

The Yugoslavian version of moussaka that my husband and I make is a little different from the Greek version that we prepared last week. The Yugoslavian version that my husband makes is prepared with potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, and eggs, while the Greek version is made with eggplant, chickpeas, lentils, feta cheese, and yogurt.

Even the regional recipes vary. Some Greek versions of moussaka are made with lamb and eggplant and are prepared without legumes, and the Yugoslavian versions are also prepared in different ways as well. Whenever I think about all the different recipes for moussaka, I think about chili and how chili is made many different ways and has different ingredients, depending on who makes it.

Here’s a picture Kemal took last week right after it came out of the oven. It makes a huge pan, and makes about six to eight servings.

Vegetable Moussaka (Adapted from: “The Complete Book of Greek Cooking” by Rena Salaman & Jan Cutler, page 174, Anness Publishing Ltd. 2005, 2008)