MOUSSAKA

dish of baked lamb and eggplant prepared throughout the Balkans and Middle East, but most closely associated with Greece and Turkey. In the Greek version the eggplants are sliced and fried lightly in olive oil, then layered in a casserole with a mixture of ground lamb, onions, tomato sauce, and seasonings. A bchamel (white sauce) with grated cheese is poured over the meat and vegetables before the dish is baked. Sliced potatoes are sometimes placed first in the casserole to form a bottom layer; zucchini can replace the eggplant. The dish can be baked in a deep pot lined with eggplant skins, which form a shiny, decorative casing when the moussaka is unmolded. The Arabic musakk'a is a meatless dish of eggplants, tomatoes, chickpeas, and onions stewed in olive oil.