Imported from the web

Traditional Greek Moussaka with Eggplants and Potatoes

Name: Traditional Greek Moussaka with Eggplants and Potatoes
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 6 eggplants (Sliced 1 cm thick); 5 potatoes (Optional; sliced 0.5 cm thick); vegetable oil (For frying the eggplants and potatoes; amount as needed); 750 g beef or lamb mince; 2 red onions (Chopped); 2 cloves garlic (Chopped); 400 g chopped tomatoes (One tin); 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp sugar; 1 glass red wine (Glass size not specified); sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (A pinch or good pinch, plus additional salt to taste); 1 bay leaf (Remove before assembly); 3 whole cloves (Optional; remove before assembly); cinnamon (A pinch or one cinnamon stick); 0.25 cup olive oil (For the meat sauce); 900 ml milk (Warm before adding to the béchamel); 120 g butter (Plus extra to butter the baking dish); 120 g flour; nutmeg (A pinch); 2 egg yolks; 100 g Parmigiano-Reggiano or Kefalotyri (Or another favorite hard cheese; reserve some for sprinkling on top); salt (To taste for the béchamel and other components)

Imported by Samantha Colman on SeeMeCook

A classic Greek casserole layered with fried eggplant, optional potatoes, tomato-braised beef or lamb, and a creamy béchamel topping. It is baked until golden and served warm after resting so the layers set.

8 servings105 minGreek

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Ingredients

6 eggplants (Sliced 1 cm thick)
5 potatoes (Optional; sliced 0.5 cm thick)
vegetable oil (For frying the eggplants and potatoes; amount as needed)
750 g beef or lamb mince
2 red onions (Chopped)
2 cloves garlic (Chopped)
400 g chopped tomatoes (One tin)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1 glass red wine (Glass size not specified)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (A pinch or good pinch, plus additional salt to taste)
1 bay leaf (Remove before assembly)
3 whole cloves (Optional; remove before assembly)
cinnamon (A pinch or one cinnamon stick)
0.25 cup olive oil (For the meat sauce)
900 ml milk (Warm before adding to the béchamel)
120 g butter (Plus extra to butter the baking dish)
120 g flour
nutmeg (A pinch)
2 egg yolks
100 g Parmigiano-Reggiano or Kefalotyri (Or another favorite hard cheese; reserve some for sprinkling on top)
salt (To taste for the béchamel and other components)

Steps

1
Remove the stalks from the eggplants and cut them into 1 cm-thick slices. Season with salt and place them in a colander for about 30 minutes.
2
Squeeze the eggplant slices with your hands to remove excess water, then pat them dry.
3
Fry the eggplant slices in plenty of vegetable oil until nicely colored. Transfer them to paper towels to absorb excess oil and set aside. For a lighter version, drizzle the eggplant with olive oil and bake it for 20 minutes instead of frying.
4
If using potatoes, slice them into 0.5 cm-thick slices. Fry or bake them in the same way as the eggplants, season with salt, and set aside.
5
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
6
Add the chopped onions and sauté until softened and slightly colored.
7
Add the mince, break it up with a wooden spoon, and sauté it until it begins to brown.
8
Add the chopped garlic and tomato paste. Sauté until the garlic begins to soften.
9
Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan and wait for it to evaporate.
10
Add the tinned tomatoes, sugar, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil.
11
Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until most of the juices have evaporated. Set the meat sauce aside.
12
Melt the butter in a large pan over low-medium heat.
13
Add the flour and whisk continuously to make a paste.
14
Add the warmed milk in a steady stream while continuing to whisk so the sauce does not become lumpy. If it still needs to thicken, simmer it over low heat while stirring; it should have the consistency of thick cream.
15
Remove the béchamel from the stove. Stir in the egg yolks, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and most of the grated cheese, reserving some cheese for the top. Whisk quickly so the eggs do not turn into an omelet.
16
Season the béchamel with salt to taste. Stir one spoonful of béchamel into the meat sauce, then set the béchamel aside.
17
Butter the bottom and sides of a large baking dish measuring approximately 20 × 30 cm, about 8 × 12 inches and 8 cm deep.
18
Layer the potatoes in the dish first, if using them, followed by half of the eggplant slices.
19
Pour in all of the meat sauce and spread it evenly. Remove and discard the cloves and bay leaf.
20
Add the remaining eggplant slices as a second layer. Spread all of the béchamel over the top and smooth it with a spatula.
21
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Bake the moussaka for about 60 minutes, or until the crust is light golden brown.
22
Allow the moussaka to cool until it is warm to the touch before cutting, so the béchamel does not pour out when the portions are cut.
23
Serve with a refreshing traditional Greek salad and enjoy with a glass of wine.

Notes

The source lists potatoes as optional. It also provides a lighter alternative of baking the eggplant instead of frying. The recipe does not specify an exact amount of frying oil or the size of the wine glass. Allowing the baked moussaka to cool before cutting is important for cleaner portions.