Loading...
Moussakas
Moussaka is a juicy, delicious comfort meal. It’s one of the most popular recipes in Greek cuisine and a true Sunday favorite. On this day, all family members have lunch together, often hosting guests at home. While versions of moussaka exist in many Mediterranean countries, our specific recipe appeared in the early 20th century. Nikolaos Tselementes, the first famous Greek chef and author of the first complete Greek cooking guide, gave moussaka a more European character. He removed many of the heavy spices and finished the dish with a rich layer of béchamel.
What you will need
For the meat sauce
- 1 kg minced meat (half pork, half beef)
- ½ cup of olive oil
- 2 onions (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 100 ml red wine
- 500 gr. grated fresh tomatoes or homemade tomato sauce
- 1 big red pepper (not spicy, sliced into rings)
- 6 allspice berries
- 1/2 bunch parsley (finely chopped)
- Salt, pepper
- ½ peel of bergamot or orange
Vegetables
- 800 gr aubergines
- 700 gr zucchini
- 700 gr potatoes
- sufficient olive oil to fry
For the béchamel
- 100 gr vegetable butter
- 100 gr flour
- 1 lt of fresh lukewarm milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt, white pepper
- 1 cup of grated homemade cheese
For the pan
- Bread crumbs
1The recipe step to step
- 1
⮚ Prepare the vegetables: Remove the stalks from the aubergines and cut them into 1 cm thick slices. Place them in a bowl of salted water for about half an hour. Drain the aubergines in a colander and pat them dry with a kitchen towel to remove any excess water. Fry them in plenty of olive oil until softened and lightly browned. Place the fried aubergines on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- 2
Remove the stalks from the zucchini and peel the potatoes. Cut them lengthwise into 1 cm thick slices and fry in plenty of olive oil until until softened and lightly browned. Place the fried zucchini and potatoes on paper towels to absorb the olive oil.
- 3
⮚ Prepare the meat sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the minced meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until softened. Pour in the red wine and wait for the alcohol to evaporate.
- 4
Add the red pepper, salt, pepper, allspice, and the bergamot or orange peel. Finally, add the tomatoes and the parsley. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- 5
⮚ Prepare the béchamel Melt the butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour, whisking continuously to create a smooth paste (roux). Add the warmed milk in a steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent the sauce from becoming lumpy. If the sauce needs to thicken further, simmer over low heat while continuing to stir.
- 6
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Quickly whisk in the egg yolks to prevent them from scrambling. Finally, add the cheese and stir gently until fully incorporated.
- 7
⮚ Assemble the moussaka: Discard the bergamot or orange zest and the allspice berries from the meat sauce. Sprinkle the bottom of a baking pan with breadcrumbs. Arrange the potatoes in an overlapping layer to cover the base. Spread half of the meat sauce over the potatoes
- 8
Τhen add a layer of zucchini. Spread the remaining meat sauce on top.
- 9
Finish with a final layer of aubergines. Press the surface down lightly with the back of a spoon to level it. Carefully pour the béchamel over the top, using a spatula to smooth it out.
- 10
Finally, sprinkle with some breadcrumbs for a crispy crust.
- 11
⮚ Bake and serve Bake at 180°C for approximately 1,5 hour. If the top browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking. Allow the moussaka to cool and set for a while before slicing and serving.
Bon Appetite - Kali orexi
Tips & Notes
- •Alternatively, for a lighter version, arrange the eggplants, zucchini, and potatoes on baking paper, drizzle with olive oil, and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 10-15 minutes until soft and lightly browned.
- •Soak the eggplants in salted water for two reasons: first, to remove any bitterness, and second, to prevent them from absorbing too much oil when fried.
- •For this moussaka recipe, you will need a large baking dish (approx. 25 x 35 cm).
- • You can use any type of ground meat you prefer.
- •The cheese for the béchamel should not be too salty.
