Description
This authentic Greek Moussaka recipe offers a rich, layered casserole featuring tender eggplant, a savory ground beef tomato sauce infused with warm spices, and a creamy homemade béchamel topping. Perfect for an indulgent family dinner, it brings the flavors of Greece to your table with traditional techniques and classic ingredients. This dish requires some time and effort but delivers a comforting and impressive meal that's well worth it. Kali orexi! (Bon appetit!)
Ingredients
Eggplant Preparation
- 4 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1⁄3-inch slices
- Salt to taste
- 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Béchamel Sauce
- 4 cups milk
- 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 large egg yolks, beaten
- Salt to taste
Meat Sauce
- 2 medium onions, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon white sugar
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Topping
- 1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Eggplant: Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and place them in a colander over the sink or a plate. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour to draw out bitterness.
- Make Béchamel Sauce: Heat milk in a saucepan until almost boiling. In a separate skillet, melt butter over medium heat, then whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually add hot milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Season with salt and remove from heat to cool slightly.
- Rinse and Dry Eggplant: Rinse salted eggplant slices under cold water, squeeze out excess liquid, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Incorporate Egg Yolks: Whisk the beaten egg yolks into the cooled béchamel sauce.
- Cook Eggplant: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Fry eggplant slices in batches until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
- Prepare Meat Sauce: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a large skillet, heat remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil over low heat. Cook grated onions until soft, ~4 minutes, add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Increase heat to medium-high, add ground beef, and cook until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Season with allspice, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer Meat Sauce: Stir in tomato sauce, simmer, and cook until liquid evaporates and mixture looks dry, 15-20 minutes. Stir in parsley, remove from heat, cool slightly, then mix in the egg white.
- Assemble Moussaka: Layer half the eggplant in baking dish, cover with all meat sauce, and sprinkle with one-third of Parmesan cheese. Add remaining eggplant on top, sprinkle with another third of Parmesan. Pour béchamel sauce over top and finish with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake: Bake in preheated oven 45 minutes to 1 hour until top is set and golden brown.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from oven, let rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Pre-cooking eggplant by frying is traditional; alternatively, brush slices with olive oil and bake at 400°F (200°C), turning once halfway through.
- For a lighter meat sauce, substitute half the ground beef with ground pork.
- Letting the dish rest after baking helps it set and slices better.
- Salting the eggplant is essential to reduce bitterness and moisture.
