Moussaka

 

Moussaka is an iconic Greek dish that many have enjoyed, whether in Greece or at a local restaurant. While I prefer Souvlaki over any other Greek Dish, this one has rich flavors and comforting layers of potatoes, eggplants, meat sauce, and creamy béchamel, making it truly special. While recipes vary online, I was taught the traditional recipe by a Greek Chef friend who had been cooking Greek food for over 50 years. If you can spare the time to cook something extraordinary for your loved ones, give it a try!

Traditional Greek Moussaka

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1-1,5 kg big potatoes

2-3 big eggplants

1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

for ground meat

500 gr ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 clove of garlic, chopped

1/3 cup of olive oil

2 ripe tomatoes, grated

1/3 cup slightly concentrated tomato juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cinnamon stick

2 allspice berries

pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

for the bechamel sauce

4.25 cups whole milk

1/3 cup of olive oil

135 gr all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

a pinch of nutmeg

pepper

Instructions

First you have to prepare the meat sauce.

In a deep sauté pan or a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over high heat.

Add the chopped onion and the garlic and sauté for about 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the ground beef and sauté until it is fully browned, stirring continuously and breaking up any lumps that may form.

Add grated tomato, tomato juice, parsley, cinnamon stick, allspice, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of warm water.

Cook over medium heat for about 1 hour until most of the liquid is evaporated.

Maybe the water will evaporate sooner than the 1 hour that meat has to be cooke,d so check often about water and add some if needed.

The meat sauce should be thick and without excess liquid.

While the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the vegetables.

Wash the potatoes and the eggplants.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and grease them with olive oil.

Peel the POTATOES and slice them lengthwise.

Arrange them on one baking sheet (single layer) and brush them with olive oil.

Bake at 390f for 1 hour (turn them upside down at 40 minutes of baking).

Remove from the oven, season with salt, and set aside.

Peel the EGGPLANTS and slice them lengthwise.

Arrange them on one baking sheet (single layer) and brush them with olive oil.

Bake at 390f for 1 hour (turn them upside down at 40 minutes of baking).

Remove from the oven, season with salt, and set aside.

Now it is time for the bechamel sauce.

Keep 1 cup of the milk and heat the remaining over medium heat, stirring often.

Add the olive oil and salt.

In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup of milk and the flour until well combined.

When the milk starts simmering, add the milk/flour mixture slowly, whisking continuously until the bechamel thickens.

Cook over medium-low heat until boiling point. Cook for 3 more minutes and remove from the heat.

Let the bechamel cool down for 5 minutes, whisking often to prevent skin from forming.

Add the grated cheese, nutmeg, pepper and egg and whisk to incorporate.

Assemble the moussaka.

In a 9x13 baking pan, make one layer of potatoe,s trying not to leave empty spaces between them. You can add extra potatoes to cover any empty spaces.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the grated Pecorino Romano.

Make another layer with eggplants.

Sprinkle again with another 1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano.

Remove cinnamon stick and allspice berries from the meat sauce.

Add the meat sauce over the eggplants and spread it evenly.

Cover with bechamel sauce and smooth out with a spatula.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and with your hands spread it to the whole surface.

Bake at 350f for 1 hour until golden brown.

Let the Moussaka cool down for about 20 minutes before cutting into pieces to serve.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing, with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts degree in Business Management, a bachelor’s in mass communication and cyber-analysis, a master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft, and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative who has worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs ranging from art to life coaching, food, writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.

Greek Cuisine, Mediterranean, Kilbride, Potpourri of Frugality, Homemade, Do it yourself