Moussaka
The Greek layered bake done properly: roasted eggplant and potato under cinnamon-scented meat sauce and a thick béchamel crown. Worth the work.
- prep
- 45 min
- cook
- 1 h
- total
- 1 h 45 min
- serves
- 8
- level
- hard
Moussaka is a project dish, but every stage is simple: roast the vegetables, make a meat sauce with warm spices, pour a thick béchamel over, and bake. The cinnamon in the meat is not a typo; it is the signature of Greek cooking.
The hardest part is the last step: waiting half an hour before cutting it. Skip the rest and you get delicious rubble. Wait and you get clean, standing slices.
Moussaka is one of the world's classic dishes from 67 countries.
method
Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Brush the eggplant and potato slices with oil, season, and roast on trays for 20 to 25 minutes until tender and golden. Lower the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Brown the mince with the onion, add the garlic and tomato paste, then the wine. Let it bubble down, add the tomatoes, cinnamon, oregano, allspice and bay, and simmer 20 minutes until thick. Season well.
For the béchamel, melt the butter, whisk in the flour for a minute, then add the warm milk gradually, whisking to a thick sauce. Off the heat, season with nutmeg and salt, and whisk in the yolks and most of the cheese.
Layer in a deep baking dish: potatoes, half the eggplant, all the meat, remaining eggplant, then the béchamel in a thick blanket. Top with the last cheese.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until deeply golden.
Rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting. This is a rule, not a suggestion.
chef's tips
- Roasting the eggplant instead of frying is lighter, easier, and what most Greek home cooks do now.
- The béchamel should be thick enough to hold a spoon trail; thin béchamel sinks into the meat.
- It reheats better than it serves fresh, so it is the perfect day-ahead dish for guests.