How to cook perfect moussaka.

How to cook perfect moussaka | Life and style | The Guardian
Serves 4, generously

4 tbsp olive oil
3 medium or 2 large aubergines, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp dried oregano
500g minced lamb
2 tbsp tomato purée, mixed with 150ml water
150ml red wine
Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

For the bechamel:
500ml milk
60g butter
60g plain flour
50g kefalotyri or pecorino cheese, grated
2 eggs, beaten
Nutmeg, to grate

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
Cut the aubergines lengthways into 0.5cm slices, and put them on to oiled baking sheets.
Brush with olive oil and season.
Bake for about 25 minutes until soft, golden and floppy.
- Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - Hugh's baked aubergines, then, are a godsend: no need to salt them, as he does – simply brush with oil and stick in the already-heating oven for 25 minutes until soft, but pleasantly light on the grease front.

2. Meanwhile, put 2 tbsp olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium high heat and cook the onion until soft.
Add the garlic, cinnamon and oregano and cook for a further couple of minutes, then stir in the lamb.
Turn up the heat slightly, and brown the lamb well, cooking until the mixture is quite dry.
Stir in the tomato and wine, bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down low and cook for 30–40 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Season and stir in the parsley.

3. Meanwhile, make the bechamel.
Bring the milk to just below boiling point, and melt the butter in another saucepan.
Stir the flour into the butter and cook for a couple of minutes, then gradually whisk in the hot milk.
Cook until you have a thick sauce, then stir in the cheese until melted.
Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly, then beat in the eggs, salt to taste and slightly more nutmeg than you might think wise (it's a strong flavour, but you need a heft of it in this dish I think - half a teaspoon at least).

Just like it’s important to have a thick mince sauce, it’s crucial to have a thick and smooth béchamel.
Thick so it won’t slide through your layers of mince and aubergine and burn at the bottom of tray with your mousaka dish and smooth, well who wants lumps of flour balls in their mouth?

4. Arrange a third of the aubergines in the base of an oven dish, and top with half the meat.
Repeat these layers, then finish off with a layer of aubergine, and top with the sauce.
Bake for about 45 minutes until well browned, and then leave to cool for half an hour before serving.

What kind of moussaka floats your pedalo – does the Greek version have the monopoly here for good reason?
Where do you stand on the question of beef v lamb ... or do you prefer vegetables?
And which other dishes have you brought back from your hols?

If we are cooking a dish like mousaka, we might as well get it right, with all its glory and forget about the health aspects for just this once.)))

More:
- Mousaka making at the Greek Cookery Class | Greekfoodlovers' Supper Club
- the cake + the knife, a love story: Tessa's Moussaka for Dan.

Flaouna - a cheese filled pastry interspersed with cheese.

Great British Bake Off: What is flaouna? An easy Greek recipe | Bedfordshire News:
Flaouna (Greek: φλαούνα, Turkish: pilavuna) is a cheese-filled pastry from the island of Cyprus, which may include raisins or be garnished with sesame seeds. Flaounes are traditionally prepared for Easter.
a cheese filled pastry interspersed with cheese.
The cheese can be a mixture of Graviera, Hallumi, Mizithra and Kefalotyri insde a pastry similar to shortcrust.

If you've been inspired by the Great British Bake Off challenge, here is a flaouna recipe you can try.

Ingredients – makes 12 flaounes
Yeast dough
1 ½ lbs (750gr) strong plain flour
1 sachet easy bake yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
Water to mix
Cheese filling
2oz flaouna cheese or 8oz (250gr) cheddar cheese
4oz (100gr) halloumi
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon crushed dried Mint
4 eggs lightly beaten

How to make flaounes
1. Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the yeast, salt and sugar.
2. Add the oil and enough water to make the mixture firm.
3. Knead for 5 minutes in smooth and elastic.
4. Put the dough in a plastic bag and leave in a warm place for 1 hour to prove.
5. Grate the cheese andadd the flour and baking powder
6. Gradually stir in the beaten egg and seasonings until you have a stiff paste
7. Divide the dough into egg sized pieces
8. Roll the dough pieces into 4" (10cm) discs.
9. Add a tablespoon of filling into the centre of each disc
10. Pull the dough up at 3 points to make a triangle – you should still be able to see the filling in the centre
11. Ptress the corners together to seal and leave to rise
12. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds before baking
13. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes at 230C / Gas Mark 8 until the cheese filling is puffed and the pastry is golden.

OR:
Ingredients for filling: 1kg of Romano cheese, 250g of haloumi, 50g of fresh yeast dissolved in 125ml of warm milk and a half teaspoon of white sugar, 180g of semolina, 150g of plain flour, seven eggs, a bunch of mint, two teaspoons of baking powder, 170g of sultanas

Ingredients for pastry: 1kg of plain flour, 5g of mastic, 10g of mahlepi, 40g of fresh yeast dissolved in 125ml of warm milk and half a teaspoon of white sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 litre of milk, 250g of sesame seeds, six egg yolks

Ingredients for glaze: a dash of vinegar, 250g of sesame seeds and six egg yolks lightly beaten

Method:
To make the filling, combine the cheeses, yeast mixture, semolina, plain flour and eggs in a large bowl.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The following day, stir in the mint, baking powder and sultanas until well combined.
To make the pastry, place the flour, mastic, mahlepi, yeast mixture, butter and salt in a large bowl.
Adding the milk a little at a time, knead ingredients together until soft but not sticky.
Cover with plastic wrap, a towel or blanket, and set aside to rest for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, to make the glaze, place the sesame seeds, vinegar and enough water to cover in a small saucepan and bring to boil.
Drain well and spread seeds over a tea towel to dry.
To assemble, divide dough into large pieces and roll out on a lightly floured work surface until about 3 mm thick.
Using a saucer as a template, cut into 18 cm rounds.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Line baking trays with baking paper.
Firmly press one side of pastry rounds into sesame seeds on tea towel to coat bases well.
Place 1 heaped tablespoon of filling into centre and fold in three sides to make a rounded triangle shape, leaving a gap in centre with filling exposed.
Place on prepared trays.
Brush tops with beaten egg yolk and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.

Galatopita, A Ruffled Milk Pie.

Galatopita, Milk Pie from Aglaia's Table in Kea Cyclades:
I suggest you make the custard 1-2 days in advance, let it cool and refrigerate.
Assemble and bake the pie a couple of hours before you start serving the meal, so that you can bring the pie to the table while still warm.
For a deep 9-inch pie dish, 8-10 servings
Custard :
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cans warm water
1/3 cup fine semolina flour
1 three-inch cinnamon stick
2 egg yolks

About 1/3 cup light olive oil, or sunflower oil
One 3-inch piece of lemon zest
6 homemade or packaged phyllo sheets, defrosted according to package instructions
1/3 cup ground almonds

Topping:
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk

In a saucepan, preferably non-stick, pour the milk and then rinse the can 2 1/2 times with warm water, as sweetened milk is very sticky and thick. While whisking, add semolina and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat. Continue to stir for about 12 minutes, until the custard thickens. Remove from the heat, and stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Cover the surface with parchment paper or cling film, and let cool to room temperature.

(up to this point custard can and it is better to be prepared in advance, and refrigerated for up to 2 days).

Preheat oven to 380F with a baking dish or pizza stones at the bottom rack.

Pour the olive oil in a bowl together with the lemon zest. Lightly brush bottom and sides of pie dish. Lay one phyllo sheet leaving at least a 2-inch overhanging, brush with oil, sprinkle with some almonds and continue with the rest of the sheets, making sure that you brush every second sheet with oil and sprinkle with almonds.

Spread the cold custard over the phyllo and even the surface with a spatula. Cut the surplus overhanging leaving about 2 inches all around, and fold over the filling (see picture) to create the border. Brush border with some olive oil.

Place the pie dish on the heated baking sheet or stones and bake for 10 minutes.

Mix egg yolk and milk and pour in the center, over the custard, brushing also the phylo boarder.

Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for another 35-40 minutes or more, until the top is golden brown. If it browns too soon, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Cool on a rack for 15-20 minutes and serve warm, or at room temperature.

- Galatopita, A Ruffled Milk Pie - KALOFAGAS | GREEK FOOD & BEYOND:
'via Blog this'

Кефтедес - греческие тефтельки. Greek Meatballs.

- Кефтедес: "Кефтедес -греческие тефтельки или котлетки, изготовленные из фарша и овощей"

- avatarakali - Индийская кухня: Овощной кебаб:

- Grilling: Keftedes Recipe | Serious Eats:

- Baked Zucchini Fritters Kolokithokeftedes - Souvlaki For The Soul:

Greek Salad Dressing .

Greek Salad Dressing | The Picky Apple: recipe from Make It Paleo
Ingredients:
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a small mixing bowl. Whisk in olive oil, minced garlic, and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste. 'via Blog this'