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Moussaka

Moussaka

A traditional Greek dish made with layers of eggplant, meat sauce, and creamy béchamel, Moussaka is a comforting and hearty meal.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Cooling Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 6 servings
Calories 434 kcal

Equipment

  • large colander
  • Large Skillet
  • baking dish
  • Whisk
  • parchment paper

Ingredients
  

Eggplant

  • 1 kg eggplant (aubergines) 0.75cm / 0.3″ thick slices
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 - 3 tablespoon olive oil

Filling

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced (brown, white, yellow)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 700 g ground beef or lamb (mince)
  • ½ cup red wine dry (optional)
  • 400 g crushed tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef broth/stock
  • 1 cube beef bouillon crumbled (or 1 teaspoon powder)
  • 2 leaves bay leaves
  • 1.5 teaspoon sugar (any)
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon (or 1 stick, use whole)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

Bechamel Sauce

  • 60 g butter
  • 5 tablespoon plain flour
  • 2.5 cups milk (any fat %)
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated (optional)
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese grated (or Kefalotiri Cheese)
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 yolk egg
  • 1.25 teaspoon Vegeta vegetable or chicken stock powder (or salt)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Topping

  • ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs

Instructions
 

Eggplant

  • Place eggplant slightly overlapping in a large colander. Sprinkle with some salt. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
  • Leave to sweat for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 240C/450F.
  • Pat eggplant dry – make sure to do this well, otherwise it’s too salty. Lay on parchment paper lined trays and brush with oil.
  • Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until lightly browned and softened. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.

Meat Sauce

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot over high heat, then cook the garlic and onion for 2 minutes.
  • Add the beef or lamb and cook until it changes from pink to brown, breaking it up as you go.
  • Add wine, cook for 1.5 minutes or until alcohol smell is gone.
  • Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes, or until reduced to a thick sauce.

Bechamel Sauce

  • Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Slowly add the milk while stirring constantly. Stir regularly for 3 to 5 minutes or until it thickens.
  • Remove from the stove and whisk in cheese, nutmeg, Vegeta/stock powder (or salt) and pepper.
  • Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then whisk the eggs in. Cover with lid until required.

Assemble

  • Lower oven to 180C/350F.
  • Place half the eggplant in the bottom of a baking dish, then top with all the Filling.
  • Top with remaining eggplant, then pour over the Béchamel Sauce, sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
  • Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Lamb is traditional, beef is equally delicious. Panko is used for better crunch. Salting eggplant prevents sogginess.

Nutrition

Serving: 587gCalories: 434kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 32gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 1317mgPotassium: 894mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 540IUVitamin C: 6.9mgCalcium: 151mgIron: 4.1mg
Keyword Baked Dish, Comfort Food, Eggplant, Mediterranean, Moussaka, Traditional
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