Musaka — Serbian Potato and Meat Casserole

Musaka — Serbian Potato and Meat Casserole

Serbian Non Fasting
Non-Fasting Recipe: This dish contains meat, dairy, or eggs and is intended for feast days and non-fasting periods.

Completely distinct from Greek moussaka (no eggplant, no béchamel), Serbian musaka is a layered
casserole of thinly-sliced potatoes and spiced ground meat, topped with a simple egg-yogurt custard,
baked until the top is bronze. Weeknight Serbian food at its most wholesome and filling.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (beef, pork, eggs, yogurt, sour cream)

SERVINGS: 8
TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
- 1.5 kg waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced 5 mm thick
- 500 g ground beef
- 300 g ground pork
- 2 large onions, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground caraway
- 2 bay leaves
- 100 ml dry white wine
- Salt and black pepper
- Butter for the pan

For the top:
- 400 ml plain full-fat yogurt or kefir
- 200 g sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 0.5 teaspoon sweet paprika
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Salt

METHOD:
1. Cook the sliced potatoes in salted water for 8 minutes — par-cooked, still firm. Drain carefully.
2. Meanwhile, make meat sauce: heat oil in a skillet. Sauté onions 7 minutes.
3. Add both meats, breaking up. Brown for 8 minutes.
4. Add garlic, paprika, caraway, bay leaves. Cook 30 seconds.
5. Add wine. Let bubble 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Remove bay leaves.
6. Butter a deep 23×33 cm baking dish.
7. Layer: half the potatoes on the bottom, seasoned with salt and pepper. Spread all the meat over. Top with the remaining potatoes, overlapping like shingles. Season top layer.
8. Whisk yogurt, sour cream, eggs, paprika, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt.
9. Pour the custard evenly over the top layer.
10. Bake at 180C (350F) for 45-55 minutes until the top is deeply golden and set.
11. Rest 15 minutes before cutting.

NOTES:
- Serbian musaka is lighter and simpler than the Greek version — no béchamel. The yogurt-sour cream topping thickens into a delicate crust.
- For a richer version, add 100 g crumbled feta to the meat layer and another 100 g to the custard topping.
- Potatoes must be par-cooked before layering — raw potatoes will not cook through in the time it takes to set the custard.
- Traditional pairing: a simple shopska salad (cucumber, tomato, onion, cheese).

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 480 | Protein: 28 g | Carbohydrates: 36 g | Fat: 26 g | Fibre: 4 g

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