Name: Moussaka
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 3 piece large eggplants (sliced lengthwise, 1cm thick); 3 piece potatoes (peeled and sliced 1cm thick); 120 ml olive oil (for frying, divided); 900 g ground lamb; 1 piece onion (finely chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 400 g canned crushed tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp ground allspice; 120 ml dry red wine; 90 g unsalted butter; 90 g plain flour; 900 ml whole milk (warmed); 3 piece egg (beaten); 100 g kefalotyri or parmesan (grated, divided); salt and black pepper (to taste); ground nutmeg (a pinch, for the bechamel)

Method

Salt the eggplant

Salt the eggplant slices and let them sit so they release bitter liquid, then pat dry.

20 min

Fry the vegetables

Fry the eggplant and potato slices in batches in olive oil until golden, then drain on paper towels.

Fry in batches so the oil stays hot and the slices brown instead of steaming.

15 min

Brown the lamb

Brown the ground lamb with the onion and garlic in a wide pan until no pink remains.

Build the meat sauce

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, allspice, wine, salt and pepper, then simmer until thick.

The sauce should be thick enough to hold a spoon upright — a watery sauce makes a soggy moussaka.

20 min

Start the bechamel

Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour to form a smooth paste, cooking for a minute.

Finish the bechamel

Gradually whisk in the warm milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth.

8 min

Temper and season

Off the heat, whisk in the beaten eggs, half the cheese and a pinch of nutmeg.

Layer the casserole

Layer the potatoes, then eggplant, then the meat sauce in a large baking dish, and pour the bechamel evenly over the top.

Bake until golden

Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake until the top is deep golden and set.

It's ready when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean of raw bechamel.

45 min

Rest before cutting

Let the moussaka rest so the layers firm up before slicing.

20 min

Moussaka

Ingredients

Method

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