The Ultimate Musaka from Doma

"This ex-Yugo version of musaka isn't made with béchamel sauce but instead uses eggs and yogurt to create a firmer, fluffier top. It also doesn't include the heady sweetness of cinnamon.

My favourite version as a kid was made simply with marrow, meat, and potatoes, but since then I've explored a whole universe of musaka, eaten my way through all the variations, and gathered various recipes, all leading up to this moment."

- Spasia Pandora Dinkovski

Ready to practice those knife skills? With The Ultimate Musaka from Doma, you get plenty of reps in. Practice making the best bear claw and rolling up herbs.

When it's all said and done, you'll have satisfying layers of meat, potatoes, and eggplant to feed at least a dozen of your closest family and friends. This baby's big!

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Doma

This ultimate musaka recipe comes from Doma: Traditional Flavors and Modern Recipes from the Balkan Diaspora by Spasia Pandora Dinkovksi.

The art of hosting Macedonian-style could be a book in its own right, a story of our generosity and thirst to please others through the offer of food and a well-laid table.

Every person I've met while creating this book has left me with the feeling that we'd known each other our whole lives, a familiarity that is down to a shared passion to feed and be fed.

My memories from these encounters and beyond are centred around cluttered tables and mountains of food - a home-cooked meal waiting for me no matter the time I arrived from the airport - or being served slatko and a glass of water as soon as I sat down.

It's a case of always putting the effort in, whether it be a special occasion or I only popped in for a coffee but that quickly turned into glasses of ouzo and a tornado of energy in the kitchen.

How to Make Musaka

Ingredients

• flour - all-purpose flour is recommended
• eggplant - 3 medium-sized eggplants will give you the perfect number of aubergine slices for this musaka
• oil - vegetable oil for frying the eggplant and making the meat sauce
• leeks - 3 large leeks will do it
• double cream - double heavy cream is recommended if you can find it. If not, heavy cream will work just fine
• cheese - you'll need ricotta and gruyere cheeses for the cheese sauce, Parmesan for the egg and yogurt mixture added at the end
• chilli flakes
• garlic - for the cheese sauce
• onion - adds flavor to the ground meat
• paprika
• lamb - ground lamb, ground beef, or ground pork are recommended for the ultimate musaka
• stock - a beef, lamb, or chicken stock cube
• parsley
• potatoes - Maris Piper potatoes are recommended, but you can use what you have available to you
• eggs
• Greek yogurt - full-fat Greek yogurt for the creamiest musaka
• black pepper - freshly ground pepper is always recommended

Equipment

• prep bowls
• chef knife
• child-friendly knife
• butcher block
• box grater
• kitchen scale
• measuring spoons
• measuring cup
• wooden spoon
• saucepan
• saucier
• skillet
• large baking dish
• aluminum foil
• spoonula
• paper towels
• whisk

Prep the Vegetables

Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a knife and a cutting board to cut the eggplant into slices, slice the leeks, and chop the garlic, onion, and parsley. Place everything in separate bowls and set aside.

Grate the Cheese

Use a box grater or NutriSlicer to grate the gruyere into a clean bowl. Set it aside.

Coat the Eggplants

Use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour in a clean bowl. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Dip the eggplant slices into the flour to coat. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Fry the Eggplants

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat for 8 minutes. Carefully add the aubergine slices and fry them in batches for 3 to 4 minutes.

Turn while frying, or until the outside is sealed. Transfer them to paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Start the Cheese Sauce

Heat some oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the leeks to the pan. Cook, while stirring, for 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the double cream and stir with a spoon or spatula to combine.

Add the Cheeses

Gradually add the ricotta and gruyere cheeses. Stir well after each addition, until they are completely melted. Cook on low for 15 minutes. Add the chilli flakes and garlic, and set aside.

Start the Meat Sauce

Heat some oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan. Use a measuring spoon to add the paprika. Cook, while stirring, for 5 minutes, or until softened.

Finish the Meat Sauce

Add the meat and the stock cube to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add the parsley and 1 ¾ oz of water to the pan. Stir to combine. Cook for 8 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Turn off the stove.

Slice the Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a knife and a cutting board to thinly slice the potatoes.

Potatoes, Meat, Eggplant, Repeat

Add some oil to a baking dish. Arrange some of the potato slices on the bottom of the baking dish.

Spoon some of the meat over the top and spread evenly.

Add a layer of the eggplant slices. Repeat this process until they're all in the dish.

Time to Bake

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Transfer it to the oven and bake for 1 hour.

Combine the Eggs, Yogurt, & Parmesan

Crack the eggs into a clean bowl. Watch your sleeves. Wash your hands. Add the Greek yogurt and grated Parmesan to the bowl. Whisk the ingredients to combine. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Set it aside.

Add the Cheese Sauce & Yogurt Mixture to the Musaka

Remove the baking dish from the oven. Pour the cheese sauce over top.

Add the egg and yogurt mixture.

Finish Baking the Musaka

Place the baking dish back in the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the yogurt has set and the potatoes are cooked through. Turn off the oven when finished. Allow the musaka to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with pickled peppers and a green salad as desired.