Hamburgers with Herbs (Biftekia)

Serves / Yields: 4 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 2 slices of bread, soaked in water for 10 minutes

• 1 kg minced beef or pork
• 1 large grated onion
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons thyme
• some chopped parsley
• salt and black pepper
• 1 lemon, to garnish

METHOD
Squeeze excess moisture from the bread and discard the crusts.
Mix together all the ingredients, in a bowl, by hand. Let this
mixture stand for half an hour if you have the time. Make large,
round, flattened hamburgers and grill under a hot grill,
approximately 3 minutes on each side; or even better place them
on an oiled grid and barbecue them approximately 5-6 minutes
on each side, according to the strength of the fire. They should be
slightly undercooked inside and moist; turn them over once, but
do not let them get scorched. Serve them with quartered lemons
on the side of the platter, with some fresh salad.
Lamb in tomato sauce with fried potatoes (Arnaki kokkinisto me
patates tiganites)
<>
Serves / Yields: 4 - 6 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 kg lamb (shoulder part, cut in servings)

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 20 small (baby) onions, suitable for making stifado. These are
sweeter in taste
• 1 wine glass red wine
• 1 glass ripe fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 glass tomato paste
• 1 tea cup olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• Salt
• Pepper

METHOD
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and saute the chopped onion, the
small onions (do not chop them - leave them as a whole) and the lamb.
Let the meat take a brown. Pour salt and pepper, add the bay leaf and
the cinnamon. Finish roasting by pouring the wine and let it evaporate
by letting it boil for a while. Add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato
paste. Pour some water and let it cook for 1 hour in 150 C until the
sauce thickens. Serve with fried potatoes.
Lamb ragout (Arni kapama (2))

Serves / Yields: 6 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 kg leg or shoulder of lamb

• 3 spoons butter
• 5 tomatoes, mashed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 pinch of sugar
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tspn cinnamon

METHOD
Wash the lamb and cut it into servings. Heat the butter in a large
saucepan and add the lamb and the onion. Brown the lamb with the
onion. Add the tomato mash, the cinnamon, salt, pepper, sugar and
little water. Stir well and simmer for more than 1 hour until lamb is
tender and the lamb remains with its sauce (water is absorbed).
Lamb Stew (Arni Kapama)

Serves / Yields: 4 - 5 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 lbs. stewing lamb, cut in cubes

• 2 tspn salt
• 1 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tspn pepper
• 1/2 cup butter
• small stick cinnamon (optional)
• 2 lbs. chopped tomatoes
• 1 tspn sugar (optional)

METHOD
Sprinkle lemon juice over meat and leave for 1 hour. Heat butter in a
frying pan and brown meat. Transfer to large saucepan. Put tomatoes
in frying pan. Add salt, pepper, cinnamon and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes
and add to meat. Simmer covered for 2 hours. Serve with potatoes,
rice, macaroni or spaghetti.
<>
Lamb stew in clay pots (yiouvetsi)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg of lamb (chops/neck, whatever)

• 3 sliced onions
• 1 litre/1 quart of tomato puree' or tomato paste for cooking
• Some olive oil
• 1kg/2lb of 'rice' pasta available in Italian or Greek delicatessens
(called Krithara'ki)
• Salt, pepper and oregano seasoning

METHOD
In a clay pot (or heavy cast iron pot), put the oil and let heat in an oven
at high setting. Add the sliced onions and brown. Sprinkle the lamb
with salt and pepper and place in the pot to brown the sides. When the
lamb starts cooking, place the tomato over it and add the same
amount of water. Let it heat for about 1 hour until the lamb feels soft
and much of the water has evaporated (add water if needed). Remove
from the oven, and put the 1 kg of 'rice' pasta. When the pasta is
cooked (another 10 minutes), remove and serve hot.
Lamb with Cos Lettuce in Egg and Lemon Sauce (Arnaki
Fricassee me Maroulia)

Serves / Yields: 4 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 2 kg lamb shoulder or leg, boned and trimmed of fat

• 600 ml hot water
• 2 cos lettuces
• 0.5 cup dill
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt and white pepper
• 5 spring onions, trimmed, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

Avgolemono Sauce
• 3 eggs
• 2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon cornflour diluted in a little water

METHOD
Cut the boned meat into serving-size pieces and trim excess fat. Rinse
and drain. Heat the oil in a wide saucepan, put in the meat with all the
chopped onions and sautee gently for a few minutes. Then add the hot
water and let it simmer for about 1 hour, or until the lamb is cooked.
In the meantime, rinse the lettuce leaves and drain. Chop them
coarsely and add to the meat almost at the very end, with the dill, salt
and pepper, and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.
Prepare the avgolemono sauce, pour over the meat, rotating the
saucepan; heat gently for 1-2 minutes and serve.
<>

Lamb with Cos Lettuce in Egg and Lemon Sauce (Arnaki

Fricassee me Maroulia)

Serves / Yields: 4 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 2 kg lamb shoulder or leg, boned and trimmed of fat

• 600 ml hot water
• 2 cos lettuces
• 0.5 cup dill
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt and white pepper
• 5 spring onions, trimmed, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

Avgolemono Sauce
• 3 eggs
• 2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon cornflour diluted in a little water

METHOD
Cut the boned meat into serving-size pieces and trim excess fat.
Rinse and drain. Heat the oil in a wide saucepan, put in the meat
with all the chopped onions and sautee gently for a few minutes.
Then add the hot water and let it simmer for about 1 hour, or until
the lamb is cooked.
In the meantime, rinse the lettuce leaves and drain. Chop them
coarsely and add to the meat almost at the very end, with the dill,
salt and pepper, and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.
Prepare the avgolemono sauce, pour over the meat, rotating the
saucepan; heat gently for 1-2 minutes and serve.
Lamb with green beans (Arni me fasolakia)

Serves / Yields: 4 - 6 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg lamb
• 1 kg green beans, wash and with their string removed (use frozen
ones if you want to avoid the cleaning procedure)
• 5 spoons olive oil
• 1/2 kg finely chopped onions
• Parsley, finely chopped
• 150 ml vegetable stock
• Salt
• Pepper

METHOD
Cut the meat in servings. Heat oil in a saucepan and saute the meat
with the onions. Add salt, pepper and vegetable stock and simmer for
1,5 hour. Then add the green beans, the parsley and some more salt
and simmer until the green beans are tender. During the whole
cooking procedure you might need to add some exra water.
Lamb with Strained Yoghurt Sauce (Arni me saltsa yiaourtiou)

Serves / Yields: 5 - 6 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 2 kg lamb (4lbs 8oz)

• 4-5 eggs
• 1 large teacup butter
• 1 large teaup water
• 1½ Kg (3lbs 6oz) strained yoghurt
• salt and pepper

METHOD
Wash the lamb well and put it in a pan. Add salt, butter and water and
place the pan in a medium oven. Let it bake well. Prepare the yoghurt
sauce as follows: In a bowl beat the yoghurt with salt and pepper
slightly. Beat the eggs whites separately (do not make them stiff).
Then add the yolks. Beat both a little while longer and add the beaten
eggs to the yoghurt beating all the time. Take the pan out of the oven;
remove the lamb from the pan and pour the yoghurt sauce in the pan.
Return the pan to the oven and bake until the sauce thickens up. Place
the lamb back in the pan with the sauce and bake again. When the
contents of the pan are golden brown, remove it from the oven and
serve.
 <>

Lamb with zucchini and tomato (Arni me kolokythakia)

Serves / Yields: 4 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 1,5 kg lamb, cut in servings

• 1,5 kg zucchini
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 500 gr tomatoes (use canned tomatoes if fresh are not available)
• 80 gr oil
• Salt
• Pepper

METHOD
Wash the lamb servings and then drain them well. Heat the oil in a
large saucepan and sautee the lamb and the onions. Then, add the
tomatoes and some water and simmer for 45 minutes. Cut the zucchini
in small pieces and add them in the saucepan. Then, boil the meat for
some more time until the zucchini are tender, the water is absorbed
and the lamb remains only with its oil and its sauce.
 <>

Lambkin with fennel (Arni me maratho)

Serves / Yields: 6 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 1,5 kg lambkin, cut in servings

• 1 coffee cup olive oil
• 10 spring onions, finely cut
• 2 peeled tomatoes, cut in wedges
• 2 spoons of finely cut dill
• 2 spoons of finely cut parsley
• 1/4 kg fennel
• 1 wine glass of white wine
• Salt
• Pepper

METHOD
Use a large saucepan and heat the oil to saute the lambkin servings
until golden. Remove meat from saucepan and place into a platter.
Saute the slices of onions until golden. Place the meat back into the
saucepan and add the wine. When most of the wine has evaporated
add tomatoes, salt, pepper, one glass of water and when the meat
starts to boil simmer for half an hour. Then add fennel, which you have
previously cut in thick pieces, and simmer for half an hour more.
Finally add dill and parsley and simmer for 5 more minutes. Check that
meat is tender. If not simmer for more hour. Serve warm with fried
potatoes on the side.
Little Liver and Garlic Parcels (Frigadelia)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS
300 gr. calf's liver thickly sliced
2 tablespoons finely cbopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 large pieces lamb's caul (it's the lining of the stomach)
salt and a lot of pepper
sunflower oil, for frying
lemon quarters, to serve

Serves 4 persons!

METHOD
Slice the liver into pieces about 10 cm long and 5 cm wide. Mix the
garlic with the seasoning and parsley and place a thin line of this
mixture down the centre of each slice of liver. Place the caul in a bowl
of warm water to make it pliable; cut large pieces off the caul and
gentlv stretch each one, to avoid it tearing. Roll up each slice of liver
and wrap it as neatly as possible in the caul to form a short cigar
shape. Secure it with a toothpick and keep in the refrigerator untit
needed.
Fry in a frying pan, grill on charcoal or roast in the overn the parcels
gently but briefly, altogether untit they are light golden. Take out and
discard the toothpicks. Slice each parcel thinly, sprinkle lemon juice
over them and serve.
Macaroni Baked With Meat (Youvetsi)
<>
Serves / Yields: 4 - 6 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs. (or Veal) Lamb

• 1/2 cup Butter
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 medium, minced Onion
• 2 cups Tomato Juice
• 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 lb. (or Spaghetti) Macaroni
• (or Parmesan) Kefalotiri Cheese

METHOD
Cut the meat into 5 portions. Heat the butter in a saucepan and brown
the meat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add tomato juice,
tomato paste, salt, pepper, and enough hot water to cover the meat.
Simmer covered, over a very low heat, until meat is tender and sauce
is thick. Boil macaroni or spaghetti in boiling salted water. Drain. Put
half the macaroni into a buttered baking dish (youvetsi), cover with the
meat, add the remaining macaroni, and spread the tomato sauce on
top. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in a moderate oven for
about 15 minutes.
Macedonian Tsoumpleki (makedoniko tsoubleki)

Serves / Yields: 4 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 1 big lamb leg

• some eggplants cut in pieces
• beans
• green peppers
• tomatoes sliced
• butter
• salt- pepper
• cumin

METHOD
Cut the meat into large pieces and put it in a pan with lid .
Add the rest of the ingredients and cover with the lid . Put it
in a low - heated oven and bake for several hours.
Marinated baked Meat (Yourbasi)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS
Serves 8 – 10 persons (can be easily halfed)
30’ + 12 hours preparation

• 2 kg beef
• 2 kg pork
• 2 glasses vinegar
• 1 wine glass olive oil
• 2 wine glasses red wine
• 150 gr carrots
• 250 gr celery
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 tspn salt
• 1 garlic
• 1/2 spoon pepper
• 500 gr onions

METHOD
Cut the carrots in round slices. Finely chop the celery, the
parsley, the garlic and the onions. Wash the meat and cut it in
small slices. Add the meat in a large saucepan together with the
vegetables, the wine, the vinegar, the olive oil, the salt and the
pepper. Stir and marinate the mixture for 12 hours or a whole
night. Next day, cut 4 large pieces of aluminium foil. Equally
share the mixture into the aluminium foil pieces. Add some of the
stock on each piece and fold them. Place them into a baking pan,
add some water and bake for 2 hours into 200 C. Serve with rice.
Marinated baked Meat (Yourbasi)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS
Serves 8 – 10 persons (can be easily halfed)
30’ + 12 hours preparation

• 2 kg beef
• 2 kg pork
• 2 glasses vinegar
• 1 wine glass olive oil
• 2 wine glasses red wine
• 150 gr carrots
• 250 gr celery
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 tspn salt
• 1 garlic
• 1/2 spoon pepper
• 500 gr onions

METHOD
Cut the carrots in round slices. Finely chop the celery, the
parsley, the garlic and the onions. Wash the meat and cut it
in small slices. Add the meat in a large saucepan together
with the vegetables, the wine, the vinegar, the olive oil, the
salt and the pepper. Stir and marinate the mixture for 12
hours or a whole night. Next day, cut 4 large pieces of
aluminium foil. Equally share the mixture into the aluminium
foil pieces. Add some of the stock on each piece and fold
them. Place them into a baking pan, add some water and
bake for 2 hours into 200 C. Serve with rice.
Meat and Potato Casserole (Kreas me patates)

Serves / Yields: 4 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 1 shoulder of lamb about 2 kg, or 2 kg beef cut in serving

pieces, or 1 kg chuck or stewing steak
• 400 gr. can tomatoes chopped, or 500 gr. fresh tomatoes,
peeled and sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tahlespoons vegetable oil
• salt and black pepper
• 2 medium onions, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 kg potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced

METHOD
Rinse the meat and remove any loose splinters. Drain. Heat both
the oils in a large saucepan, and fry the pieces of meat in it,
browning them on both sides and taking them out as they are
ready. When all the pieces are fried, add the onions and the
carrots and sautee them. Add the tomatoes, bring to the boil and
return the meat pieces to the pan. They should be covered with
the liquid. If not, add a little hot water.
Cover and cook until the meat is almost tender, approximately 50
minutes (beef will need slightly more cooking). Season with salt
and pepper, add the parsley and the raw potatoes. Add enough
water to cover them, then cover and cook for a further 20-30
minutes, until the potatoes are soft. If you want to make a more
special version of this dish, cut the potatoes thickly and fry them
first, then add them to the meat and cook for a slightly shorter
period, about 10 minutes.
Meat and wheat pulp (Keskek)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS
Server 6 people.

• 1 kg beef
• 1 kg of meat (lamp, goat, sheep)
• 2 medium sized bones
• 4 medium sized onions
• 1/2 kg wheat (with its husk removed)
• salt
• pepper
• Olive oil (1tea cup)
• Fresh butter (sheep's butter prefered)

METHOD
Slice the meat in medium size pieces. Sautee in a large
saucepan. Add plenty of water and add the bones the onions, salt
and pepper. Let the meat melt for at leat 4 hours. Remove bones.
Wash the wheat and add it in the saucepan. Boil the mixture
again in low temperature until the meat and the wheat make a
pulp and cannot be distinguished. Push the mixture into the
bottom of the saucepan if necessary in order to melt it easily.
When the mixture has melt sautee it with fresh sheep's butter
and serve.
Meat rissoles from Constantinopolis (Keftedes apo tin Poli)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 kg minced meat (beef preferred)

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 spoons of finely cut parsley
• 1 garlic clove, mashed
• 100 grams hard tack
• 1 egg
• 3 spoons olive oil
• Lemon rind
• Salt
• Pepper

Sauce

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, mashed
• 1/2 kg fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 100 ml white wine
• 2 spoons tomato paste
• 1 spoon of finely cut fresh basil

METHOD
Place in a bowl the garlic, onion, lemon rind, parsley, eggs, hard
tack and minced meat. Add salt and pepper and shape the
mixture into rissoles of medium size. Heat oil in a frying pan and
fry on all sides until golden. Remove from heat and prepare the
sauce as follows: Mix all ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes
until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper and pour the sauce
over the rissoles. Serve hot with rice or fried potatoes.
Meat roll (Rolo kima)

Serves / Yields: 4 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 700 gr. ground meat

• 1 cup small bread crumbs
• 1 small finely chopped onion
• a small quantity of finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 beaten egg
• salt, pepper
• 4 teaspoonfuls of white dry wine
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 5 hard-boiled eggs

METHOD
Mix meat, bread, onion, celery, beaten egg and wine. Add salt
and pepper and massage into a cohesive mix. Lay the mix on
square aluminum foil. Remove the shell from the hard-boiled
eggs, and lay them in a row, in the middle of the square
aluminum foil. Wrap the meat roll with the help of the foil. Put the
butter in a shallow pot, and fry lightly. Then carefully place the
roll in the pot. Fry it lightly on all sides. When it gets red brown,
pour the tomato juice and add some salt to the sauce. Cover it
and boil slowly. Serve with rice pilaf, fried potatoes, or potato
puree.

Variation: Bake the meat roll in the oven with the tomato juice
and the fried butter, after adding some water.
Meat with green beans (Fasolakia me kreas)

Serves / Yields: 6 persons

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg meat (pork or beef), cut in portions

• 1 kg green beans, cleaned (with the string removed)
• 4 fresh tomatoes (mashed)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• Salt
• Pepper

METHOD
Roast the onion in the oil and add the beef. Add little water
and cook in low temperature. When it is half cooked add the
beans, tomatoes, salt and pepper and let it simmer. Beef
should be tender and remaining sauce thick. To tenderize
the meat you might need 2 - 3 hours. Serve hot.
Meat with Orzo (Kreas Manestra)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tb Oil
• 1/8 ts Cinnamon
• 1 lb Beef or lamb stew meat
• 1 ts spearmint flakes
• 2 Onions; chopped
• 4 c Boiling water
• 1 c Tomato sauce or 1 tb Tomato paste instead
• 1 c Manestra (orzo)
• 1 c Grated cheese (Mizithra!)
• 1 ts Salt
• 1/8 ts Pepper

METHOD
Heat oil in large saucepan and brown meat and onions for 10
minutes over medium heat. Add tomato, seasonings, and 2
cups water. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours until meat is
tender. Add remaining water and bring to a boil. Add
manestra. Stir once or twice. Simmer 20 minutes more.
Serve hot with grated cheese.
Meatballs (keftedakia)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS
1/2kg of minced beef, 1 finelly chopped onion, 1 egg,
olive oil, Some chopped spearmint leaves, Some flour,
Salt, pepper and oregano, 1/4 glass ouzo.

METHOD
Mix the minced meat with the spearmint, the egg and the
onion in large bowl. Pour the ouzo. Season with oregano, salt
and pepper. Form into egg size balls. Heat the oil in a frying
pan. Roll the meatballs in flour and place in the hot oil. When
turning brown, turn, cook other side and serve hot.

Served with french fries as a main dish or single as

appetizer.
Meatballs avgolemono (Yiouvarlakia)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS

• 500grams / 1 lb of ground beef

• 250grams / 1/2 lb butter or margarine
• 125grams / 1/4 lb rice
• 1 egg
• 1 onion, finely chopped, parsley, salt, pepper

For the sauce

• 2 eggs
• 2 lemons

METHOD
Mix all the ingedients together, and mould into round 1 inch /
2.5cm balls. Put some water in a pot, place the butter and balls in
it carefully. Let them cook for about 20 minutes and then let cool.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a mixer and slowly, while
beating, add the lemon juice ensuring that the sauce doesn't
curdle. With a ladle, take some of the juice from the meatball pot,
add to the sauce, all the time mixing. Keep doing this until all the
juice has been mixed in the sauce. Empty all the sauce on top of
the meatballs and serve with some sprinkled parsley.
Meatballs with cracked wheat (Keftedes me Pligouri)

Serves / Yields:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound minced beef or pork or a combination

• 1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4-5 scallions (white plus most of the green parts), finely
chopped
• 1/2 cup coarse bulgur
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, 2 minced and 2 coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large onion, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups grated ripe tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes with
their juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• salt, pepper

METHOD
In a large bowl, combine the meat, all but 2 tablespoons of the
parsley, the scallions, cracked wheat, egg, 2 tablespoons of the
oil, the minced garlic, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Knead
well, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
Shape 2-tablespoon-sized portions of the meat mixture into balls.
Place on a plate, cover and refrigerate. In a large, deep skillet,
heat the remaining oil and saute the onion over high heat for 4 to
5 minutes, or until it starts to color. Add the chopped garlic and
saute for 30 seconds. Add the wine and simmer for 1 minute. Stir
in the tomatoes and cinnamon stick. Carefully add the meatballs
to the skillet; the sauce should almost cover them. Add the water,
bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for
20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the
sauce has thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick, sprinkle with
the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and serve.

Minced Meat Rissoles with Cummin (Soutzoukakia Smirneika)

Serves / Yields: 4 persons

INGREDIENTS<>

• 3 thick slices of bread, soaked in water

• 500 grams finely minced beef
• 1 egg
• 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 teaspoons cummin
• salt and pepper
• 1 glass white wine
• 30 gr. flour, for frying
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoones olive oil
• 3 tablespoons tomato puree or 1200 grams can tomatoes, liquidized
roughly
• chopped parsley, to garnish

METHOD
Soak the bread in water for 10 minutes and discard the crust. Squeeze
the water from the bread and mix with the mince, egg, garlic, cummin,
salt and pepper and 3 tablespoons of the wine. (The best results for
mixing are always achieved by using your hands.) When properly
mixed make long thin shapes, like fat cigars, about the length of your
finger (around 15 of them), roll them in the flour and fry in the
vegetable oil on medium heat, making sure that they are crisp all over.
In the meantime, put the olive oil in a saucepan and, when it is warm,
add the tomatoes and the rest of the wine and cook slowly for 5
minutes, stirring and making sure it does not stick. Add the
soutzoukakia as they come out of the frying pan, roll them in the
torrato sauce, add a little more water if needed, cover and cook slowly
for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.
With its rich sauce it can be served with plain white rice, or mashed
potatoes as a main dish. It can also be a very good starter for a dinner
party.

Serves 4 persons as a main course!

Serves 7 persons as a starter, allowing 2 per person!

Moussaka (Mousakas)

Serves / Yields: 6 people

INGREDIENTS

• 700 gr. (1 ½ lb.) shoulder of lamb(boneless weight)

• 700 gr. (1 ½ lb.) aubergines
• 175 gr. (6 oz.) onions
• 225 gr. (½ lb.) tomatoes
• 150 ml. (? pt.) olive oil
• 5 ml. (1 teaspoon) ground allspice
• 15 ml. (1 tablespoon) chopped parsley
• 425 ml. (? pt.) bechamel sauce
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
Coating
• 1 large egg
• large pinch grated nutmeg
• 75 gr. (3 oz.) Cheddar cheese

METHOD
Wipe, top and tail, but do not peel the aubergines. Cut them into slices about 6
mm. (? in.) thick. Put into a colander with a light sprinkling of salt between the
layers and leave to drain for half an hour. Peel and slice the onions; peel, de-seed
and chop the tomatoes. When ready to cook, pat the aubergine slices dry with
paper. Heat 45 ml. (3 tbsp.) oil in a frying pan over a low heat and, when hot, fry
the aubergine slices gently until tender, in batches, turning once. Lift out and
drain on absorbent paper. Add extra oil between batches as necessary. When all
are fried, make the oil in the pan up to 30 ml. again. When this is hot, fry the
onions gently for about 5 minutes, until soft and pale gold. Add the meat and fry.
Add the tomatoes, allspice, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, cover
and cook very gently for 25 to 20 minutes. Heat oven to 180-C. (350 F.), gas
mark 4. In a deep, ovenproof dish, arrange alternate layers of aubergines and
meat, finishing with aubergines. Warm the sauce over a low heat. Separate the
egg and, off the heat, stir the yolk, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste, into the
sauce. Reserve the egg white for use in another dish. Pour the sauce evenly over
the surface of the dish. Grate the cheese over the sauce. Bake in the oven for 45
minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling.

The popularity of “Moussaka” has deservedly spread. It is a delicious combination

of meat, vegetables and a thick, rich sauce. It’s the most traditional Greek dish
and also absolutely delicious!