Greek-Style Eggplant and Potato Moussaka

A layered casserole of vegetables, minced meat in tomato sauce and creamy béchamel on top. Moussaka is a famous dish in the Mediterranean cuisine. 

Originally a Greek dish, it is also widely eaten in Italy, the Arab Maghreb (North Africa) and the Middle East including Egypt, my home country. 

In Egypt however we don’t top it with béchamel; it is simple eggplant and the meat-based sauce. This dish is rich and can totally stand alone in a dinner.

Prep Time: 25 minutes  Cook Time: 90 minutes  Yield: 5 Servings

List of Ingredients:

• 2 Large Eggplants, washed, unpeeled and cut into 1cm thick slices
• 1 Large Onion, chopped
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
• 250gm Minced Lamb or Beef
• 2 bay leaves, 1 clove, and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Large Tomato, diced
• ½ Cup Canned Tomato Paste
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves (optional)
• Salt, pepper and cumin
• 2 Large Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm thick slices
• Olive oil for frying

For the Béchamel:

• ½ cup (100gm) Salted Butter
• 1/3 up (75gm) All-purpose Flour
• 1 ½ cup (350ml) Whole Milk
• Salt, pepper and a dash of ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup Shredded Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese (optional)

Method of Preparation:

• Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt, put them in a large colander in the sink and shake the colander every once in a while to drain excess water.
• Heat a skillet and add some olive oil. After that stir fry the onion and garlic until golden.
• Pour the minced beef and stir around until it is no longer pink.
• Add the bay leaf, clove and cinnamon.
• Pour the tomato cubes and tomato paste into the mixture.
• Add the salt, pepper and cumin to taste and the dried basil if using.
• Pour ½ glass of boiling water, lower the heat, cover and let simmer for 25 minutes. Stir a couple of times to prevent sticking. The sauce should be thick and not watery, but also not dry.
• Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf and fish out the clove from the sauce when you start assembling the Moussaka casserole for baking.
• Heat another skillet then when hot pour ½ cup olive oil (don’t boil the oil or it will burn).
• While the skillet is heating, remove the eggplant slices from the colander and dry each one with a napkin until completely dry.
• Grease a baking tin and arrange them without touching each other and bake in a medium preheated oven for 15 minutes. This cooks them halfway through and also ensures they are completely dry now.
• While they are baking, fry the potato slices until golden on both sides. I sometimes pre-boil them for 5 minutes, this way I am absolutely certain they are full cooked through. Remove from the skillet and lay on a napkin to absorb the excess oil.
• Remove the eggplant from oven then fry them until golden on both sides. Remove from the skillet and transfer to dry on a napkin.
• Now, prepare the béchamel by melting the butter, then when it boil to foam go ahead and toss the flour. Whisk vigorously and add the milk. Continue whisking until there are no flour lumps.
• Sprinkle salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg if using.
• When the béchamel is thick, remove it from the heat and pour the beaten egg. Whisk until incorporated.
• Start assembling the Moussaka in your preferred baking pan. I use a non-stick 25cm round pan.
• First sprinkle some olive oil, and then add 2 or 3 tablespoons of béchamel and the same amount of the meat sauce. Mix them together with the wooden spoon and spread even. After that lay the first layer of potato slices.
• Add a thick layer of beef then cover with a layer of eggplant slices.
• Repeat alternating between the potatoes, beef and eggplant ending with the meat sauce.
• Sprinkle the cheese (if using) on top.
• Now add the béchamel and spread even with a spatula to cover all sides.
• Preheat the oven to 170°C. Bake the Moussaka for 30 minutes or until golden-light brown on top. Test with a knife from the sides before removing to make sure it is cooked all the way through. Don’t forget to wear your oven mitts J
• Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least a half an hour because it will still be bubbly and not set to cut. Slice and serve.
• For a nice presentation sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley on top.