Musakka

Preparation

1. 01

   Soaking in salted water

   Peel the eggplant in alternating stripes and cut into 1 cm thick rounds. Soak in salted water for 20 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.

2. 02

   Frying

   Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Fry the eggplant slices until golden on both sides. Transfer the fried eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate.

3. 03

   Sautéing

   Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a separate saucepan. Sauté the finely chopped onions until softened and translucent.

4. 04

   Sautéing

   Add the ground meat and continue cooking until it releases its juices and they evaporate. Once the meat is fully cooked, add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.

5. 05

   cook over low heat

   Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Then add the diced tomatoes, granulated sugar, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook over low heat until the tomatoes are soft.

6. 06

   Layering

   Arrange half of the fried eggplant slices in a single layer on the bottom of a large, deep pot. Spread all of the meat sauce over the top. Arrange the remaining eggplant slices over the sauce. Pour the hot water around the edges.

7. 07

   Cooking over low heat and resting

   Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm or hot.