Moussaka

On of the most famous Greek dishes, moussaka consists of layers of fried potatoes and aubergine, covered with a layer of lamb minced meat and topped with a creamy béchamel sauce and then baked until golden brown!

Cooking time: 45 mins

Prep time: 1 hour

Ingredients for 6 to 8 people

What do you need?

For the vegetables

• 2 to 3 medium size potatoes.

• 4 medium eggplants.

• Sunflower oil for frying

For the meat sauce

• 750g minced lamb.

• 2 red onions (chopped).

• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped).

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g) o passata di pomodoro.

• 2 tablespons of tomato paste.

• 1 teaspoon sugar.

• 1 glass of red wine.

• Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

• 1 bay leaf.

• A pinch of cinnamon or one cinnamon stick.

• 1/4 of a cup olive oil.

• Salt to taste.

• Pepper to taste.

For the Béchamel sauce: follow the link (Béchamel sauce) and prepare double the recipe

Parmesan cheese to sprinkle over the vegetables and on top of the bechamel.

How to proceed?

Prepare the meat sauce

1. In a pot over medium heat sauté the onion until soft and translucent (5 minutes), add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute.

2. Add the minced meat, cook for 4 to 5 minutes until browned.

3. Add the wine and let it evaporate around 3 minutes.

4. Season with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add bay leaf. Add shopped tomates, the tomato paste and sugar. Cook over high heat until it boils.

5. Lower the heat, cover and simmer ideally for 30 to 45 minutes. (You do not need the meat sauce to be watery).

Fry the vegetables

1. Peel and cut the potatoes lengthwise into a 4 mm slices

2. Peel and cut the Eggplants lengthwise into a 4 mm slices. Place in a colander, sprinkle them with salt, and set aside for 20 minutes.

3. Rinse the eggplant pieces thoroughly to remove the salt. Pat dry and spread out on a cutting board.

4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

5. Deep fry the potatoes.

6. Deep fry the eggplants .

7. Remove slices from the hot oil and drain on paper towel.

Prepare the Béchamel sauce

Follow the link (Béchamel sauce) and prepare double the recipe.

Assemble the Mussaka

Now that vegetables are fried, béchamel and meat sauce are ready it is time to assemble the Moussaka!

1. Prepare a 20x30cmdeep baking dish.

2. Layering the potatoes at the bottom of the baking dish.

3. Layer on top half of the fried eggplants.

4. Sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese.

5. Spoon over the meat sauce on top of the eggplants and spread it evenly.

6. Top with the second half of the fried eggplants.

7. Add the béchamel and spread it out evenly.

8. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top.

9. Preheat the oven to 180 C. bake for about 1 hour.

10. Leave the mussaka to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. (it tastes better when cooked the day before and reheated).