Description
A comforting Greek dish featuring layers of tender eggplant, savory meat ragu, and a creamy béchamel topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large eggplants, sliced
- 500g ground meat (beef or lamb)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 400g canned tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- For the béchamel sauce:
- 50g butter
- 50g all-purpose flour
- 500ml milk
- 1 egg
- Salt and nutmeg to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Slice the eggplants and sprinkle them with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet, sauté onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add ground meat, cook until browned, then stir in tomatoes, cinnamon, parsley, and seasoning. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- For béchamel, melt butter, whisk in flour, then gradually add milk and thicken. Temper in the beaten egg, then season.
- Assemble moussaka in a baking dish: half the eggplant, half the meat sauce, remaining eggplant, remaining meat sauce, and finish with béchamel.
- Bake for 45 minutes until golden, then let cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Salting the eggplant helps reduce bitterness. Use a heavy-bottomed pan to ensure even browning of the meat.
- Prep Time: 70 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: moussaka, Greek recipes, comfort food, baked dishes, layered recipes