Moussaka Recipe
Pining for a cozy night in? Fire up your oven for this craveable, crowd pleasing dish - Greece's answer to lasagna.
Enjoy with a glass of savory Greek red, like Hatzidakis' Mavrotragano from Santorini.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 large eggplants
• 1 ½-2 tsp. sea salt
• 2 large potatoes
• ½ cup oil for frying eggplant
MEAT SAUCE
• 2 lb. ground beef, lamb or a combination
• 2 medium chopped yellow onion
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 ½ tsp. sea salt
• ¾ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. each ground allspice and ground cloves (optional)
BECHAMEL SAUCE
• 2 cups milk
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ tsp. white or black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
PREPARE THE VEGGIES
• Slice the eggplant into ¼-inch slices. Sprinkle with approximately 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt on both sides. Layer on a paper towellined baking pan. Sweat for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Wash and scrub potatoes, then slice into ¼-inch thick rounds. Season on both sides with 1 teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a cast-iron skillet and fry potatoes for a few minutes on each side. Work in batches, and add more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels. 8. Pat the sliced eggplants with paper towels until dry. Heat a few more tablespoons of oil in the same pan and fry the eggplant on both sides until browned. Drain on paper towels.
PREPARE MEAT SAUCE
1. Add ground beef or lamb to a large pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the larger pieces with a wooden spoon. Add chopped onion, garlic and parsley, and cook until browned.
2. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, wine and seasoning. Simmer until most of the liquid is gone.
PREPARE BECHAMEL SAUCE
1. Add a bay leaf to 2 cups of milk, then heat milk in a medium saucepan or a microwave. Melt butter in a saucepan and cook over low heat until golden. Sprinkle flour into the pan and quickly whisk until smooth. Cook the roux for a few minutes until nutty and golden brown.
2. Pour milk into the pan and whisk continuously until the bechamel sauce is smooth and no lumps remain. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg, and stir to combine. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf!
ASSEMBLE MOUSSAKA
1. Coat a disposable 9-by-13-by-4-inch casserole pan with 1 teaspoon of butter, or use cooking spray. Layer the potatoes on the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the meat and sauce mixture. Add mozzarella, if using, and half of the eggplant.
2. Add the remaining meat, using a slotted spoon, in case there’s still too much liquid in the sauce. Top with the remaining eggplant slices.
3. Sprinkle the eggplant with shredded Asiago cheese, then pour the creamy bechamel sauce over the eggplant.
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Carefully place the casserole pan on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch overflowing juices. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the top layer starts to brown.
3. Allow the moussaka to rest for 20 to 30 minutes so that it doesn’t fall apart when you serve it. Slice and serve.