Greek Moussaka

Name: Greek Moussaka
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 large eggplants, sliced ½ cm (¼ inch) thick; 3-4 medium potatoes, sliced ½ cm (¼ inch) thick; Olive oil (for brushing or frying); Salt and pepper; 500-750 g ground beef or lamb; 1-2 onions, finely chopped; 2-3 cloves garlic, minced; 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (for meat sauce); 400 g can chopped tomatoes; 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste; ½-1 cup red wine (optional); 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 bay leaf; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; Pinch of cloves and/or allspice (optional but traditional); Salt and black pepper; 100-120 g butter (for béchamel); 80-120 g all-purpose flour; 900 ml-1 L milk, warmed; 2 egg yolks (or 2 whole eggs, beaten); 70-100 g grated hard cheese (Parmesan, Kefalotyri, or Gruyère); ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; Extra grated cheese and optional breadcrumbs for topping

Servings: 6

Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

3 large eggplants, sliced ½ cm (¼ inch) thick
3-4 medium potatoes, sliced ½ cm (¼ inch) thick
Olive oil (for brushing or frying)
Salt and pepper
500-750 g ground beef or lamb
1-2 onions, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons olive oil (for meat sauce)
400 g can chopped tomatoes
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
½-1 cup red wine (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of cloves and/or allspice (optional but traditional)
Salt and black pepper
100-120 g butter (for béchamel)
80-120 g all-purpose flour
900 ml-1 L milk, warmed
2 egg yolks (or 2 whole eggs, beaten)
70-100 g grated hard cheese (Parmesan, Kefalotyri, or Gruyère)
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Extra grated cheese and optional breadcrumbs for topping

Instructions

Slice eggplants and potatoes. Lightly salt eggplant slices and let sit 20-30 minutes, then pat dry. Brush slices with olive oil and bake at 200°C/400°F until soft and lightly golden, or shallow-fry in oil and drain on paper towels.
For meat sauce: Heat olive oil in a pan; sauté onion until soft, then add garlic. Add ground meat; cook until browned, breaking it up. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1-2 minutes.
Add wine (if using) and let reduce slightly. Add chopped tomatoes, sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon, optional cloves/allspice; season with salt and pepper. Simmer 20-30 minutes until thick and rich. Cool slightly and remove bay leaf and whole spices.
For béchamel: Warm milk separately. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; whisk in flour to form a smooth roux and cook 1-2 minutes (do not brown too much).
Gradually whisk in warm milk until smooth and thickened; simmer a few minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cool a few minutes.
Whisk in grated cheese. Beat egg yolks separately, then whisk into the slightly cooled béchamel (off the heat).
Preheat oven to 180-190°C / 350-375°F. Lightly oil a baking dish. Layer potatoes on the bottom, slightly overlapping; season lightly with salt and pepper.
Add a layer of eggplant. Spread the meat sauce evenly over the vegetables. Top with a final layer of eggplant. Pour béchamel over the top, smoothing it; sprinkle with grated cheese (and breadcrumbs if using).
Bake 40-50 minutes until the top is golden and set. Let rest at least 30-45 minutes so it firms up for clean slices. Moussaka reheats well and often tastes even better the next day.