Outrageously Delicious Greek Moussaka

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil (For cooking the beef sauce)
• 1 large white onion (Finely diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (Finely diced)
• 1.6 lb ground beef (Preferably fairly lean)
• 2 heaped tbsp tomato paste (Tomato puree in the UK)
• 0.5 cup dry red wine (Can substitute more beef stock)
• 1 cup tomato passata (Pureed or strained tomatoes)
• 1 cup beef stock
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (Finely diced, plus extra to serve)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (Finely diced)
• 2 small bay leaves (Or 1 large bay leaf)
• 0.75 tsp salt (For the beef sauce, or to taste)
• 0.5 tsp sugar
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.25 tsp black pepper (Or to taste)
• 4 oz unsalted butter (For the béchamel)
• 4 oz plain flour (All-purpose flour; for the roux)
• 4 cups milk (At room temperature)
• 0.5 tsp salt (For the béchamel, or to taste)
• 0.5 small nutmeg (Grated; or use 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
• 0.25 tsp white pepper
• 1 cup Pecorino Romano (Freshly grated, plus extra for sprinkling)
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cups vegetable or olive oil (Or enough to cover the vegetables in the pan; used for frying)
• 1.6 lb baking potatoes (Approximately 2 large; peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick)
• 1 lb zucchini (Approximately 2 medium; sliced into about 1/3-inch strips, preferably lengthwise)
• 2 lb eggplant (Approximately 4 smallish eggplants/aubergines)
• fresh parsley (A few pinches, for sprinkling between layers; grams and nutrition not quantified in source)
• Pecorino Romano (A few pinches, for sprinkling between layers and on top; amount included in the measured cheese where applicable)
• salt and black pepper (As needed for seasoning the vegetable layers)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables. Lay several sheets of paper towel in a row on a flat surface and arrange the eggplant slices on top. Rub a pinch of salt over both sides of the eggplant. Cover with two layers of paper towel, arrange the zucchini on top, add another layer of paper towel, then finish with the potato slices and another layer of paper towel. Gently press down to absorb moisture from all the layers; tea towels may be used instead.

2. 2

   Make the beef layer. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and golden, stirring occasionally.

3. 3

   Add the diced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.

4. 4

   Add the ground beef and fry until completely browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

5. 5

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes to deepen its flavor.

6. 6

   Pour in the red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with the spoon to deglaze it and loosen any browned bits.

7. 7

   Add the tomato passata and beef stock. Stir in the parsley, thyme, cinnamon, salt, sugar, black pepper, and bay leaf.

8. 8

   Bring the beef mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and rich. Remove the bay leaves before assembly.

9. 9

   Fry the vegetables. Heat enough vegetable or olive oil to cover the vegetables in a suitable pan. Bring it to approximately 150°C/300°F, when it should gently sizzle.

10. 10

    Carefully slide the potato slices into the hot oil in batches. Fry both sides until lightly golden and fork-tender. Remove them, shake off excess oil, and drain on fresh paper towel.

11. 11

    Increase the oil temperature to approximately 170°C/340°F. Fry the zucchini slices until softened and lightly browned, then fry the eggplant slices. Drain all the vegetables thoroughly on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

12. 12

    Make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a suitably sized pot over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to form a smooth roux.

13. 13

    Gradually pour in the room-temperature milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and whisking until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

14. 14

    Stir in the béchamel salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. If the sauce is still thin, simmer it a little longer until thickened.

15. 15

    Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the grated Pecorino until smooth and lump-free, then quickly whisk in the egg yolks.

16. 16

    Measure out 1/2 cup of the béchamel and stir it into the beef mixture.

17. 17

    Assemble the moussaka. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F and have a suitable baking dish ready. Arrange the potato slices in the bottom, overlapping them as needed to make a compact layer. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of parsley, Pecorino, salt, and pepper.

18. 18

    Add the zucchini in an even layer and sprinkle with more parsley, Pecorino, salt, and pepper.

19. 19

    Arrange half of the eggplant over the zucchini. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and close any gaps so the layers are compact.

20. 20

    Spread the beef mixture evenly over the eggplant. Top with the remaining eggplant slices.

21. 21

    Pour and spread the béchamel over the top layer. Finish with a sprinkling of Pecorino Romano.

22. 22

    Bake at 180°C/350°F for 35–45 minutes, until the top is golden and lightly charred.

23. 23

    Remove the moussaka from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm; resting helps the layers keep their shape.

Notes

The recipe notes that lamb can be substituted for beef. Kefalotiri is traditional in place of Pecorino Romano, and Parmesan can also be used. The vegetables may be baked instead of fried, or two pans may be used to speed preparation. The structured nutrition information lists approximately 571 kcal, 34.11 g protein, 42.95 g carbohydrates, 29.22 g fat, and 6.2 g fiber per serving; the listed frying oil is not necessarily fully absorbed.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Greek
• baked
• layered
• beef
• comfort food
• family meal
• contains dairy