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Greek Moussaka

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    While it is cold and gloomy outside and the dreadful winter is knocking on the
    door, all I can dream about is the vacation in Greece last month. The
    sun-kissed land with its azure coastline, idyllic islands, gorgeous sunsets
    and last but not the least, its unforgettable gastronomy captivated me.


    Greek food with its vibrant flavors offers a thrilling gastronomic adventure
    with every bite and takes all food enthusiasts on a sensational journey back
    in time to the land of Ancient Greek gods.



    One food that was on the menu of every Greek taverna was Moussaka. The
    flavours and textures were new and exciting to me & I was so blown away by its
    taste that I ate it almost every day (the fact that it was so cheap didn’t
    hurt either).


    A classic dish made of rich, hearty layers of potato, eggplant, and a robust
    meat sauce, all topped off with a creamy béchamel sauce. This is Greek comfort
    food at its finest!


    IS MOUSSAKA THE SAME AS LASAGNA?

    Whilst Lasagna and Moussaka may seem similar, they are not the same. Lasagna
    is a classic Italian dish made with layers of pasta, meat sauce, and bechamel
    sauce. On the other hand, Moussaka is made with layers of vegetables, meat
    sauce and bechamel sauce.


    BAKING OR FRYING THE EGGPLANTS

    Traditionally, the Moussaka eggplants and potatoes are fried in oil until
    golden brown. But as times have moved on, so has the cooking method. Nowadays,
    it is just as common to bake the veggies.

    I have fried the potato slices. However, I find that simply baking the
    eggplant slices makes for a much lighter moussaka without sacrificing any of
    the flavour (and it’s less messy, too!). Once the eggplant is layered in the
    moussaka, you can’t tell that the slices were baked rather than fried.

    Thinly slice the eggplants, then sprinkle them with salt. This removes the
    excess moisture so that they do not become soggy and make the moussaka watery
    once assembled.


    FOR MORE SUCH COMFORT FOOD CLASSICS, CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING:


    CAN YOU MAKE THIS AHEAD OF TIME?

    Yes! This is a great dish for entertaining. You can prep and assemble the
    whole thing ahead of time, tightly cover with plastic wrap and keep it in
    the refrigerator until ready to bake.

    On the day you are ready to serve, take it out of the refrigerator,bring it
    to room temperature and then bake.


    WHAT TO SERVE WITH MOUSSAKA?

    Moussaka is a complete meal in itself, but if you want to serve it with
    something light and fresh, a simple Cucumber & Tomato Salad would be great.


    COMPONENTS OF MOUSSAKA

    Patience is a virtue you’ll need when making this dish, but I guarantee all
    of the effort you put into this dish is worth it. Here are the components
    that are layered to make this Moussaka:

    • Eggplant/Aubergine: The star of the show! The aubergines act
      like little sponges. They soak up the delicious meat sauce and give
      the dish its incredible juiciness and creaminess. Slice them thin, fry
      them golden, and layer them for a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
    • Potato: Sliced potatoes are the base for the dish and give the
      moussaka its robustness and make it easy to cut and serve. Use starchy
      potatoes like Russet and Yukon gold.
    • Meat Sauce: The meat sauce for a Moussaka is very similar to a
      Bolognese sauce. However, the main difference is the consistency. The
      moussaka sauce is thicker and flavored with oregano and cinnamon.
      Ground lamb is the meat traditionally used in Moussaka, however I have
      used ground beef.
    • Bechamel Sauce: The final layer of Moussaka. A thick layer of
      silky, cheesy white sauce. Again, this is similar to a classic
      béchamel you’d use in an Italian lasagne, but much thicker and set
      with egg yolks.



    If you made this Greek Moussaka, I would love to know how it turned out!
    Please let me know by leaving a comment below.

    Ingredients:

      For the Vegetables

    • 1 kg eggplants/aubergines, cut into 0.3″ thick slices
    • 700 g potatoes, peeled and sliced around 1/4″
    • Salt, to taste
    • Black pepper, to taste
    • Vegetable Oil, for frying

      • For the Meat Sauce

    • 1 Tbsp olive oil
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 3 garlic cloves , minced
    • 700 g ground beef or lamb
    • 1/2 cup red wine, dry
    • 350g crushed tomatoes
    • 3 Tbsp tomato paste
    • 1 cup beef broth/stock
    • 1 large bay leaf
    • 2 tsp dried oregano
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp sugar
    • 3/4 tsp salt

      • For the Bechamel Sauce

    • 4 Tbsp butter
    • 5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
    • 2 1/2 cups milk
    • Salt, to taste
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
    • 1/4 tsp White Pepper
    • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
    • 2 egg yolks

    Instructions:

      For the Beef Sauce

    1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
    2. Add the onion and fry until it becomes soft, then add in the minced
      garlic and fry for 1-2mins.
    3. Add in the beef and break up with a wooden spoon and cook until it
      changes from pink to brown.
    4. Stir in tomato paste and fry for a couple of mins, then pour in the
      red wine, and cook for 2 mins or until the smell of alcohol is gone.
    5. Add in the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, salt, ground cinnamon, black
      pepper, and bay leaf, and stir to combine.
    6. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to medium low and cook for 30
      minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thick.
      For the Vegetables

    1. Heat up vegetable oil in a frying pan and make sure it is hot. Then
      add in the potato slices and fry both sides until they are fork-tender
      and are lightly golden. Remove, shake off the excess oil and place on
      fresh paper towel.
    2. Place the slices of eggplant in a large colander. Sprinkle some salt
      on top to remove the excess moisture, and leave them for 20 minutes.
    3. Preheat the oven to 240 degrees Celsius.
    4. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels to remove the salt. Line them
      on a parchment paper lined tray. Brush them with olive oil and bake
      for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove them for the oven and
      set aside to cool slightly.
      For the Bechamel Sauce

    1. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1
      minute, stirring constantly.
    2. Stirring constantly, slowly add the milk. Then stir constantly for 3
      to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Then add in the salt, white
      pepper and the nutmeg powder.
    3. Remove from heat, and then add in the Parmesan cheese.
    4. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks. Set aside.
      For Assembling the Moussaka

    1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
    2. In a baking dish, add a layer of the fried potatoes (overlapping as
      needed). Then sprinkle some salt and pepper on top.
    3. Then, add a layer of baked eggplants. Spread the meat sauce over ,
      then add another layer of eggplants, finally top with the Béchamel
      sauce.
    4. Finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan, place in the oven and bake for
      35-40 mins or until golden brown.
    5. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
    6. Serve and dig in !

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