Today is my Birthday!! I am turning 21! For the fourteenth year in a row! 😉 Happy Birthday to ME!
Many moons ago, during my first year in college, I wanted to celebrate my birthday with a meal prepared by yours truly for a few special people. I chose to make this traditional Macedonian moussaka, or a meat and potato gratin, and serve it with a side of homemade bread and a simple salad. Sounds great, right? Well…
All I knew about moussaka was that it was made with potatoes and ground beef. Simple, I thought. Homemade bread? No problem; I have a ciabatta recipe. This was my birthday menu and I was super excited!
I browned the beef. I even sprinkled it with some seasonings. I cut the potatoes and layered them in my baking dish. I topped the potatoes with beef, and added one more layer of potatoes. I set the oven to 425, because that just sounded right to me, and placed my pretty meal in the oven to bake. No eggs, no milk. Somehow, without anything to bind it together, this meal was going to come together as good as my Mom’s and we were going to lick our fingers clean. Ehhhh! WRONG!
Nevermind the fact that I was so upset about my Moussaka not coming out like my Mom’s; at the time I could not figure out why it didn’t. All I had in that casserole dish was burnt potatoes and ground beef. It was dry and tasteless. I truly had not a clue about using milk and eggs in this dish. At the time I thought eggs were only used for breakfast and cakes.
Because I was so upset, I never got around to making that bread, either. No Moussaka, no bread… Giordano’s deep dish pizza was the next best option.
So. Let’s get this right – It’s layer of potatoes, layer of ground beef, another layer of potatoes, topped with a mixture of milk and eggs. Got it? Good! 🙂
ENJOY!

- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion , thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 teaspoons paprika
- 5 to 6 medium sized potatoes , peeled, thinly sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 3 eggs
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Heat olive oil in heavy skillet over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Cook and stir until translucent.
- Add ground beef and paprika, and cook until beef is browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Butter a 13x9-inch glass baking dish.
- Layer half of the sliced potatoes and sprinkle with a small amount of salt and pepper.
- Top the potatoes with the ground beef.
- Spread remaining potatoes over beef, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the milk mixture into dish to cover potatoes; cover with foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove foil and continue to bake until top is brown and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Let rest 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
WW SmartPoints: 10
[…] let’s track back a bit. My Mom cooks Macedonian food, exclusively. She doesn’t need grill pans, and laughs at the idea of owning a waffle maker. […]
[…] via diethood.com […]
[…] Often times (read: every weekend) I drop over at my parent’s house to raid their fridge and pantry, in hopes of finding something good to eat. Something authentic and Macedonian like, Feta Cheese French Toast or Meat and Potato Gratin. […]
[…] Meat and Potato Gratin – Macedonian Moussaka […]
[…] Meat and Potato Gratin | http://www.diethood.com https://diethood44.wpengine.com/Meat and Potato Gratin: Traditional Macedonian Moussaka made with layers of potatoes and ground beef. … No problem; I have a ciabatta recipe. …. Your Moussaka looks incredible and we are totally into baked layered dishes at home. […]
any chance you have a milk substitute for this dish?
[…] Via https://diethood44.wpengine.com […]
[…] Brussels Sprouts Salad with Avocado and Pistachios. OR, I get all ethnic on us and prepare this Meat and Potato Gratin. […]
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[…] its amusing pronunciation, musaka is a delicious potato-based dish. Musaka is a popular dish that is served in Macedonia and other Eastern European countries. Musaka is a […]
[…] its amusing pronunciation, musaka is a delicious potato-based dish. Musaka is a popular dish that is served in Macedonia and other Eastern European countries. Musaka is a […]
[…] its amusing pronunciation, musaka is a delicious potato-based dish. Musaka is a popular dish that is served in Macedonia and other Eastern European countries. Musaka is a […]
[…] its amusing pronunciation, musaka is a delicious potato-based dish. Musaka is a popular dish that is served in Macedonia and other Eastern European countries. Musaka is a […]
[…] its amusing pronunciation, musaka is a delicious potato-based dish. Musaka is a popular dish that is served in Macedonia and other Eastern European countries. Musaka is a […]
[…] You know what the deal is around here, right? I am Macedonian and very proud of it. But you knew that. Once in a while I come around here, make a mention of it, even share a recipe or two that I grew up on, such as the Oven Baked Macaroni and Feta Cheese or this amazing Meat and Potato Gratin. […]
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happy BD Katerina! 🙂 hugs
Can’t wait to prepare it! I’m making it for some friends tomorrow! Great blog Keti!
Thank you, Betche!! 🙂
[…] Market to open up), and I went looking for something to make with it. I came upon a recipe for a Meat and Potato Gratin that looked good enough to […]
yumm!!! i so enjoyed baking that 😀 thnxx a mil for the recipe!!!
http://phatimasbox.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/meat-and-potato-grain/
HI, Phatima! 🙂
Thank you very much… I am SO glad you enjoyed it!
[…] Diethood […]
This is a variation of moussaka (no eggplants here or minced meat) that my mom used to make when I was a kid and I loved that meal! Just got an idea for tomorrow’s menu!
[…] Savory Sundays: Meat and Potato Gratin {Traditional Macedonian Moussaka} (diethood.com) […]
Thank you for the great recipe. This has become a family favourite .
That is GREAT!! Thank you! 🙂
[…] Recipe originally posted on Diethood. […]
Just made this for the family and it was fab. Made a few changes though… used Turkey mince and put a layer of low fat mozzarella and light marscapone cheese sauce over each layer of potatoes. Also put some peas in with the meat. Thanks for posting!
That’s great! And YUM!! Your version sounds fantastic!
I hate when that happens! So disappointing!
Happy birthday again. 🙂 This looks delicious. I could eat way too much of this. Great choice for a celebratory meal. I always like comfort food on my birthday.
I wonder how this would be with some sort of cheese involvement? It sure looks yummy 🙂
I’m sure some cheese would make this dish extra special!! I would go with feta. 🙂
I was just trying to keep it real with this recipe…traditional, if you will. 🙂
Oh yes! I totally understand. I’d never even heard of moussaka until today 🙂
If you like one dish meals, and if you like meat and potatoes, give this moussaka a try. 🙂
It’s what’s for supper 🙂
Awesome! 🙂 Let me know what you think!
Happy Birthday! I haven’t made this in a long time and it’s long overdue! The first time I made it was when I was preggers-talk about risk! My recipes didn’t seem to come out right when I was pregnant,so I had my mom on speed-dial 🙂
Happy, happy birthday, Kate! The hubby would LOVE your moussaka…no eggplant! And I love a one dish meal…mmmmmmm. And I haven’t thought of Giordano’s pizza in years…so good 🙂
Belated Happy Birthday Katerina! =D
Its so cool that you are in my age group, I didn’t know. Your Moussaka looks incredible and we are totally into baked layered dishes at home.
Oh no I missed your b-day by one day. Sorry for my belated birthday wish, but I still want to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I so wish to be celebrating 21 again, I don’t even remember how many years ago… lol. Still have no husband around so this sounds like a perfect easy dinner for three of us!
Happy happy birthday, Kate! 🙂 This looks like such a comforting gratin!
Happy Birthday!! Glad to see you’re still celebrating your 21st! I finally had to switch to a higher number. 🙂 What a great dish to celebrate your birthday with! Meat and potatoes – you can eat more comfort food than that!
Happy Happy Birthday!!!! Yay to being a January baby, we ROCK!!! I have never made moussaka, but it truly looks delicious! What a wonderful dish to enjoy for your special day! I hope your day is filled with happiness, smiles, and lots of laughter! Big hugs, Terra
Happy birthday! I’m not even going to tell you how many times I’ve celebrated 21. 🙂
It’s so interesting to see the differences in our dishes. Armenian moussaka is so incredibly different than this. It has the meat, we use eggplant, not potatoes, a white sauce and cheese. 🙂
Bon Anniversaire, Katerina! We’re the same age- I’m just a few months older. *grrr* :p
This dish looks scrumptious! Yay for eggs!! 😀
Merci beaucoup, Valerie!!
Happy Birthday! I have made my birthday meal and I love doing that–sharing what I love best with those I love best.
This looks delicious and something the family will definitely go for.
Thanks!
Happy Birthday Kate! Guess what? I’m 21 too! For the 15th time 😉 Your gratin looks divine – pinning!
Thank you, Shea!!! I love being 21! Again!! 😉
Happy Birthday Katerina!! Wishing you many, many more 21st birthdays. 🙂
Lovely Moussaka! See how far you have come from that first try so many moons ago. You got it down to a science now. 🙂
Hope you enjoyed every bite…. and some birthday cake. 🙂
Happy birthday! Enjoy your gratin-and hopefully some cake too!
Happy birthday!! This looks super delicious. What a yummy gratin!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATERINA! 🙂
I absolutely love moussaka. My mums moussaka always seems better than mine even though the recipe is the same. Mmmm……..I wonder why that is?
I don’t eat meat and I hardly ever eat potatoes but I will say this is the prettiest meat and potato gratin ever!
And happy 21st bday, again 🙂