Romanian potato and meat moussaka

Name: Romanian potato and meat moussaka
Ingredients: 900 g ground beef and pork; 9 medium potatoes (180 g each); 2000 ml water for boiling; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 medium carrots (225 g); 4 medium onions (600 g); 45 ml oil; 650 ml tomato juice; 400 ml water for the filling; 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper; 15 g parsley; 1/2 teaspoon oregano (optional); 2 eggs; 200 g sour cream; 15 g grated cheese

Diverse - Romanian potato and meat moussaka by Cleopatra F. - Recipia

Romanian potato and meat moussaka has layers of boiled potatoes and a beef and pork filling, with a browned egg and sour cream topping. The potatoes stay soft, the filling sits between the layers in tomato sauce, and the cheese browns on top; I prefer floury potatoes because they slice neatly once cooled. Preparation: 25 minutes. Cooking: 95-110 minutes. Resting: 30 minutes. Total time: 150-165 minutes. Servings: 6. Approximately 800 kcal and 38 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

900 g ground beef and pork
9 medium potatoes (180 g each)
2000 ml water for boiling
1 teaspoon salt
3 medium carrots (225 g)
4 medium onions (600 g)
45 ml oil
650 ml tomato juice
400 ml water for the filling
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
15 g parsley
1/2 teaspoon oregano (optional)
2 eggs
200 g sour cream
15 g grated cheese

Preparation

1. Peel the onion and carrots, wash them and cut them into suitable-sized pieces, then chop them in a food chopper. Wash the potatoes well. 2. Bring 2000 ml of water to a boil with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. When it boils, add the whole potatoes and cook for 25 minutes, until a fork slides into them easily. Drain them and leave to cool for 20 minutes. 3. Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices about 1 cm thick. 4. Heat 45 ml of oil in a wok and sauté the onion and carrot for 6-7 minutes, until softened. Add the meat and cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until it is no longer reddish. 5. Pour in the tomato juice and 400 ml of water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, parsley and oregano. Simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the liquid reduces and the filling holds together. 6. Line a baking pan about 30 x 20 cm with parchment paper. Add a layer of potatoes, half the meat filling, another layer of potatoes, the rest of the meat and finish with potatoes. 7. Beat the eggs with the sour cream and grated cheese, then spread the mixture over the potatoes. Bake at 180°C for 30-45 minutes, until browned on top. Leave the moussaka to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes

My first moussaka came after I read several variations, and the food chopper I had recently bought made chopping the vegetables easier; it was eaten quickly. You can replace the meat mixture with 900 g of ground pork. The sour cream and cheese add dairy, and the topping also contains eggs. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. A simple cabbage salad on the side cuts through the heaviness of the layers. Floury potatoes slice more neatly once cooled, and very large ones may need another 5 minutes of boiling. Homemade tomato juice can sometimes be thick and bind the filling faster; keep an eye on it so it stays soft, not dry. Slices of similar thickness make even layers, while very thin ones can break as you assemble them. The cheese can be salty, so taste the filling before adjusting the salt.