Skip the béchamel! Turkish Musakka keeps it lighter with eggplant, potatoes, ground meat, and a rich tomato base — comfort food without the fuss.
eggplant (aubergine) potatoes olive oil ground beef or lamb onion garlic tomato paste, tomatoes chili paste spices and seasoning
key ingredients
Place the vegetables in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with dried oregano, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Bake for 40 minutes, giving them a good stir halfway through. The eggplant should be tender and the potatoes almost cooked through.
Prepare the meat sauce while the vegetables are cooking. Heat olive oil in a large pan, add the ground beef and break it up with your spoon. Cook until well browned. Add the onion, spices and seasoning and continue to cook until the onion has softened. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds or so until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes and brown sugar and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Dissolve the chili and tomato paste in a cup of hot water. Top the vegetables with the meat sauce, pour the hot water over the dish and arrange the tomatoes and pepper over the top. Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving garnished with fresh parsley and some yogurt on the side. Delicious!
This rustic Musakka is packed with flavor!