Investigating Mediterranean recipes is my passion, so today I am thrilled to share two that I have long cherished:
Moussaka from Greece
Socca, a chickpea flatbread from Nice
To my way of thinking, the layers of eggplant, meat, and béchamel in Moussaka are simply hard to resist. And Socca, made with a very simple chickpea flour batter, is a fantastic gluten-free option that you can eat any or all the days of the week.
Let us dive into the delicious desserts!
The 2 Best mediterranean recipes
1. Greek Moussaka
Moussaka is an archetypical Greek dish. Eggplant lies at its very heart, making it stirred and layered casserole.
Either roasted, impaled, skewered, stacked, or otherwise artfully held in confinement as they grill, the eggplant slices must first be cooked until caramelized and tender.
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggplants
- 1 pound ground lamb or beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) to warm up. Cut the eggplants into rounds that are 1/4 inch thick; use a pastry brush to apply olive oil to one side of the eggplant round, then season that side with salt. Place the eggplant rounds, seasoned side up, in a single layer on a roasting pan and place in the upper third of the oven. Roast until the undersides are browned, about 12 minutes.
2. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Add ground meat and cook until browned. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Layer the eggplant slices and meat sauce in a baking dish, starting with eggplant. Sprinkle each layer with Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, finishing with cheese on top.
4. In the preheated oven, bake for 30 minutes until the golden and bubbly top forms. Let it rest slightly, then serve.
2. Socca (Chickpea Flatbread)
Socca is a traditional Mediterranean flatbread made from chickpeas. It consists of the simple mixture of chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt, and black pepper, but then it’s poured into pans in a very hot oven so that it can crisp up.
Some people even add an egg to the batter for a slightly puffed-up texture. You could add all those things to socca and still not have the same experience as making fresh pizza, which you can, of course, do too.
Ingredients
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup water
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
Instructions
1. Blend the chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt, and black pepper fresh together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in any fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme you may want.
2. Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes so that the flour may fully hydrate.
3. Set the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius) and position a cast iron skillet or pizza pan in the oven so it can heat up.
4. Once the oven is hot, the batter is poured into the preheated pan, and it gets swirled to coat the bottom evenly. For 10 to 15 minutes, the socca bakes away, turning golden brown, with edges that crisp up nicely. If you want to go the extra mile, 1 to 2 minutes under the broiler equals a lot more crispiness, which, let’s be honest, is what we really want.
