Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Lasagna) Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Eggplant |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2 lb. eggplant (aubergines) , cut into 0.3" thick slices
1 tsp. salt
2 - 3 T. olive oil
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Directions: |
Directions:Place eggplant slightly overlapping in a large colander. Sprinkle with some salt. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
Leave to sweat for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make Meat Sauce and Béchamel Sauce.
Preheat oven to 450º.
Pat eggplant dry - make sure to do this well, otherwise it's too salty. Lay on parchment paper lined baking sheets (you might need 3 sheets, work in batches), brush with oil.
Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until lightly browned and softened . Remove and set aside to cool slightly. |
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Meat filling |
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Ingredients: 1 T. olive oil
1 onion , diced (brown, white, yellow)
3 garlic cloves , minced
1.4 lb. ground beef or lamb Lamb is traditional.
1/2 red wine , dry (optional)
14 oz. crushed tomatoes
3 T. tomato paste
1 cup beef broth/stock (Note 2)
1 beef bouillon cube , crumbled (or 1 tsp powder)
2 bay leaves
1.5 tsp. sugar (any)
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (or 1 stick, use whole)
3/4 tsp. salt
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Directions: |
Directions:Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot over high heat, then cook the garlic and onion for 2 minutes.
Add the beef or lamb and cook until it changes from pink to brown, breaking it up as you go.
Add wine, cook for 1.5 minutes or until alcohol smell is gone.
Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes, or until reduced to a thick sauce. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick (if you used)
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Bechamel Sauce |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 4 T. butter
5 T. plain flour
2 1/2 cups milk (any fat %)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated (or Kefalotiri cheese is traditional)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 tsp. Vegeta, vegetable or chicken stock powder (or salt)
1/4 tsp. pepper
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Directions: |
Directions:Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Stirring constantly, slowly add the milk. Then stir regularly for 3 to 5 minutes or until it thickens so that it thickly coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove from the stove and whisk in cheese, nutmeg, Vegeta/stock powder (or salt) and pepper.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then whisk the eggs in. Cover with lid until needed for assembly.
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Assemble |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Prepared eggplant
Prepared meat sauce
Prepared béchamel sauce
⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
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Directions: |
Directions:Preheat oven to 350º (all oven types).
Place half the eggplant in the bottom of a baking dish (I used my 9" cast iron skillet), then top with all the filling.
Top with remaining eggplant, then pour over the béchamel sauce, sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.
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Number Of
Servings: |
Number Of
Servings:6-8 |
Preparation
Time: |
Preparation
Time:90 minutes |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: My roommate at Auburn University was Julia (Americanized name) Xanthapoulou, a student from Thessaloniki, Greece. She really missed Greek food and occasionally tried to cook for us. She was a civil engineer, not a cook; so, although I have a recipe that she hand-wrote for me, it is nearly useless in recreating this classic Greek dish. I've tasted some good moussaka over the years and have found some recipes that approximate what I've tasted in restaurants. This recipe is partly Julia's and has been modified by my friend and co-worker, Evelyn Bilson, who is of Greek ancestry. Evelyn had the pleasure of being the para-professional in Josh's kindergarten and first grade classrooms. She was going to college all that time, and when he got in second grade, she was a student teacher assigned to that classroom.
Although the traditional moussaka is prepared by frying the eggplant, this is much easier and you can't tell a lot of difference. Lamb is the traditional meat, but beef is much easier to find and is good. Vegeta is a seasoning from Australia, but plain salt works just fine. And no, panko is not Greek, but it makes for a nice crunch on the top of the dish. Plain breadcrumbs work also.
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