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Greek Moussaka

Print Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Eggplant and Meat Sauce

  • 2 Large eggplants, peeled and cut in 2"-3" pieces
  • 1 Large onion, diced
  • ¼ cup Olive oil
  • 2 lbs. Ground beef
  • 6-7 Medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 can Tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • 1 glass Red wine
  • 1 pinch Salt and freshly-ground pepper
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • ½ tsp Cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp Tarragon
  • 1 cup Chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • 1½ cups Grated Parmesan

Bechamel Sauce

  • 4 cups Milk
  • ½ cup Butter
  • 6 tbsp Flour
  • Pinch Salt and pepper
  • ½ tsp Nutmeg
  • 2 Egg yolks, beaten

Instructions
 

Eggplant and Meat Sauce

  • Peel and cut eggplant. Lay out on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture
  • Place eggplant in roasting pan, sprinkle with olive oil, and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, diced onion, and 2 cloves chopped garlic. Saute for about 3 minutes.
  • Add ground beef to skillet and brown.
  • Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, wine, salt and pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon, tarragon, chopped fresh parsley and simmer for 20 minutes
  • Allow to cool and stir in beaten eggs

Bechamel Sauce

  • Scald milk in saucepan (milk has begun to steam and show small bubbles)
  • Melt butter in large skillet, then whisk in flour until smooth
  • Lower heat and slowly add scalded milk, whisking until thickened. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Let cool for about 10 minutes and stir in beaten egg yolks.

Assemble

  • Place eggplant in a greased 9 x 13 dish.
  • Cover with meat mixture
  • Top with 3/4 cup parmesan
  • Pour Bechamel sauce over the top, sprinkle with remaining parmesan, and sprinkle nutmeg.

Bake

  • Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees

Notes

Traditional Greek Moussaka uses slices of eggplant, but by cutting into smaller pieces, the eggplant spreads easier to each portion.
I have assembled everything except the bechamel sauce a day ahead. About 2 hours before serving - cook the sauce and top the dish with the chopped parsley, sauce, parmesan and nutmeg and bake for one hour. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.