Meats
If you find traditional eggplant dishes too heavy or oily, this Turkish Zucchini Moussaka is the answer. Zucchini acts as a lighter, sweeter base that absorbs the savory meat sauce beautifully without acting like a sponge for oil. By baking the vegetables instead of frying them, we keep the dish wholesome and nutritious. It’s a fantastic way to turn a simple vegetable into a satisfying main course that won't weigh you down.
Ingredients :
- 350 g ground beef (medium fat)
- 7 medium zucchinis
- 3 medium onions
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 4 green peppers (Turkish Charleston or Italian frying peppers)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup olive oil (for zucchinis)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for meat sauce)
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
Preparation :
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Wash and peel the zucchinis in alternating strips (zebra pattern) and slice them into medium-thick rounds.
- Place the zucchini rounds in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Toss well to coat evenly.
- Arrange the zucchinis on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 40 minutes until they soften but don't turn completely brown.
- While zucchinis are baking, prepare the meat sauce: Finely chop the onions, peppers, and tomatoes. Slice the garlic cloves.
- In a pan, sauté the ground beef on low heat until it changes color and releases its moisture.
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil and the chopped onions to the meat. Cover and cook until onions are soft.
- Add the chopped peppers and continue sautéing. Once peppers soften, stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes to release its aroma.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, paprika, and black pepper. Pour in the hot water, stir, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Remove baked zucchinis from the oven. Pour the meat sauce evenly over the zucchinis.
- Arrange the sliced garlic on top for a nice aroma.
- Return the dish to the oven (still at 200°C) and bake for another 20 minutes until the flavors meld together.
- Serve hot, ideally with rice pilaf and yogurt.
