Potatoes in Moussaka?

[voula_slat]

For some reason, my family’s version of moussaka has never included potatoes, and I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been missing something all these years! We’ve always layered it with eggplant, a bit of zucchini, meat sauce, and béchamel, no potatoes. But lately I’ve seen so many recipes (especially from northern Greece) that add a layer of sliced or fried potatoes at the bottom, and people swear it gives the dish more structure and heartiness.

For those who make moussaka regularly — do you include potatoes? If so, where do you place them in the layering: bottom, middle, or alternating with the eggplant? Do they change the texture or make it too heavy? I love the idea of experimenting but don’t want to lose that light, custardy feel of our version. I’d love to hear how your families make it and whether the potato layer is a must!

 

[WillC.]

For some reason, my family’s version of moussaka has never included potatoes, and I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been missing something all these years! We’ve always layered it with eggplant, a bit of zucchini, meat sauce, and béchamel, no potatoes. But lately I’ve seen so many recipes (especially from northern Greece) that add a layer of sliced or fried potatoes at the bottom, and people swear it gives the dish more structure and heartiness.

For those who make moussaka regularly — do you include potatoes? If so, where do you place them in the layering: bottom, middle, or alternating with the eggplant? Do they change the texture or make it too heavy? I love the idea of experimenting but don’t want to lose that light, custardy feel of our version. I’d love to hear how your families make it and whether the potato layer is a must!

In visiting Greece and many islands, since about 1970, I've never had moussaka that didn't contain potatoes. They're an essential ingredient.

 

[k_tsoukalas]

You’re not missing anything, plenty of families make moussaka without potatoes — but adding them does give the dish a different kind of richness. My family (from northern Greece) always includes a layer of potatoes, and it really does help with structure and balance, especially if you like clean slices.

We usually place thinly sliced potatoes on the bottom, sometimes lightly fried, sometimes just baked until soft. They soak up the juices from the meat sauce and keep the eggplant from collapsing. It doesn’t make the dish heavy unless they’re cut too thick.