Greece · Greece

Moussaka (Layered Eggplant and Lamb Bake)

Name: Moussaka (Layered Eggplant and Lamb Bake)
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Greece
Ingredients: eggplant, sliced 1 cm 2 pieces; potato, sliced 5 mm 500 g; ground lamb 500 g; yellow onion, chopped 1 pieces; canned crushed tomatoes 400 g; garlic, minced 3 tsp; ground cinnamon 1 tsp; dried oregano 1 tsp; whole milk 500 ml; unsalted butter 60 g; all-purpose flour 50 g; egg yolks 2 pieces; kefalotyri or parmesan, grated 80 g; olive oil 120 ml; fine salt 2 tsp; black pepper 1 tsp

Layers of fried eggplant and potato, spiced lamb ragù and béchamel, baked until the top turns golden.

120 minutes · 8 servings · advanced

Moussaka is the dish that travels furthest abroad and loses most on the way, because the béchamel usually arrives where there never was one. The layers are separate on purpose, each cooked in its own way before being stacked. Frying the eggplant rather than baking it is what keeps the dish from turning into a single soft mass.

Ingredients

eggplant, sliced 1 cm2 pieces
potato, sliced 5 mm500 g
ground lamb500 g
yellow onion, chopped1 pieces
canned crushed tomatoes400 g
garlic, minced3 tsp
ground cinnamon1 tsp
dried oregano1 tsp
whole milk500 ml
unsalted butter60 g
all-purpose flour50 g
egg yolks2 pieces
kefalotyri or parmesan, grated80 g
olive oil120 ml
fine salt2 tsp
black pepper1 tsp

Directions

1
Salt eggplant slices, rest 15 min, pat dry, then fry in olive oil until golden. Boil potato slices until just tender.
Eggplant is pliable and golden; potato is just fork-tender.
2
Sauté onion and garlic, brown the lamb, add tomatoes, cinnamon, oregano, salt and pepper; simmer until thick.
Ragù coats the back of a spoon and smells of cinnamon.
3
Melt butter, whisk in flour, gradually add milk and simmer until silky; off heat whisk in yolks and cheese.
Sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon heavily.
4
Layer potato, eggplant, ragù and béchamel in a baking dish, finish with béchamel and bake until golden.
Top is golden brown and the layers hold together when sliced.

Source: WorldBite Editorial · WorldBite Proprietary Editorial Content