Moussaka





Moussaka (also Mousaka) stands with gyros and souvlaki as one of the world-famous dishes of Greek cuisine. It’s a very rare restaurant on Crete that does not offer moussaka.

The moussaka is made in a large dish which holds enough portions for several people, baked in an oven then cut into portions. In the last few years there has also been a growing trend to make individual sized portions in special pots which are attractive to look at.

Moussaka consists of several layers, of which the aubergine layer is the most important and tasty. Other layers include minced meat with onions, potatoes and sometimes courgettes. The top layer is made from béchamel which forms a golden crust when baked.



There are some variations on the classic moussaka. The ‘Zucchini Moussaka’ (courgettes in place of aubergines) is rare, but can be found. Some tourist restaurants offer a vegetarian moussaka in which the mince is replaced with vegetarian meat substitutes. New ideas in recent years have been the potato moussaka, chicken moussaka, fish moussaka and calamari moussaki. These are not traditional recipes, but may be of interest to the moussaka enthusiast.

Moussaka is a cheap meal on Crete, which always comes with bread. The best moussakas are served outside tourist areas in simple, traditional tavernas. Generally a portion will cost €7 to 10 in the year 2024.

Moussaka is also known in Bulgaria: there it is prepared with potatoes rather than aubergines.

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