Greek Moussaka

Greek moussaka is characterized by the addition of eggplants, and it usually includes ground lamb (or beef). In this recipe, we have substituted the lamb with ground beef but kept the addition of eggplants. The finishing touch is, of course, the béchamel sauce with egg yolks and Parmesan, which rises during baking and turns a beautiful golden brown on top. This is truly a perfect summer dish, best served with a bowl of salad.

Details

  • Preparation Time: 20 minutes
  • Cooking Time: 80 minutes
  • Difficulty: 2
  • Spiciness: 0
  • Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients

Béchamel

  • 30 g Butter, unsalted

  • 30 g Wheat flour, white, multi-purpose

  • 600 ml Milk, powdered, whole milk

  • 50 g Cheese, Parmesan, grated

  • pieces Spices, nutmeg, ground

  • 2 piece Egg, egg yolk, fresh

  • 2 piece Eggplant, raw

  • 500 g Potatoes, white

  • pieces Oil, olive

  • 1 piece Onion, raw

  • 650 g Meat, beef, ground

  • pieces Garlic, fresh

  • 1 teaspoon Spices, oregano, dried

  • 1 piece Spices, bay (leaves)

  • 400 g Tomato, pieces - can

  • 2 spoons Tomato, concentrate

  • pieces Salt, table

  • 1 handful Breadcrumbs, dried

Steps

  1. Wash the eggplants, clean them, and slice them into 1 cm thick rounds. Lightly salt both sides and arrange them on paper towels. Let them sit for 30 minutes to allow excess liquid to drain.

  2. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic separately. Heat oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onion until translucent. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring, until all the pieces are nicely browned. Add the chopped garlic, oregano, bay leaf, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. Mix well to deglaze the pan and incorporate any caramelized bits from the bottom. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer on moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Add a bit of liquid (water, red wine, etc.) if needed.

  3. In a larger pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Continue stirring and slowly pour in the milk. Once you have a completely smooth mixture without lumps, add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and grated Parmesan. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens (it should boil for at least 3 minutes). Remove from heat and let the béchamel cool for 20 minutes, then mix in the egg yolks.

  4. Peel, clean, wash, and slice the potatoes into 7 mm thick rounds. Bring salted water to a boil in a pot. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, then drain and quickly cool with cold water to stop the cooking process.

  5. Thoroughly dry the eggplant slices with paper towels. Heat olive oil in a large pan and lightly fry the eggplant slices on both sides until golden brown.

  6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a deep baking dish with olive oil. Sprinkle a few breadcrumbs on the bottom (this will help absorb excess liquid). Layer the following ingredients in the dish: potatoes, eggplants, meat, and eggplants. Arrange the vegetables so that the slices slightly overlap. Pour the béchamel sauce over the moussaka and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Nutrition Information (Per 100g)

  • Calories: 131.36 kcal
  • Fat: 7.71 g
    • Saturated Fat: 3.13 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7.58 g
    • Sugars: 0.93 g
  • Protein: 6.7 g
  • Fiber: 1.28 g