Moussakas is one of my favorite Greek recipes! It takes some time to prepare that’s true, but other than that it’s not scary at all! What I like in this dish is that in a bite you taste all these amazing layers.. and if you make it yourself it tastes even better! First attempt to make moussaka was when I was 23. I’ve made a lot of mistakes back then and it took a lot of hours and re-making some parts of the recipe but the extraordinary taste made all my efforts worth trying!

 the recipe

ingredients

for the vegetables

• 2 potatoes
• 1 big eggplant
• 2 medium zucchini (optional)
• oregano
• salt
• black pepper
• some olive oil

for the minced meat mixture

• 500gr. minced meat (half pork, half beef)
• 30ml. olive oil
• 1 big onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3tbsp. fresh parsley
• 2 laurel leaves
• 80gr. red sauce
• 80gr. water
• 1/4tsp. cinnamon
• 2/3tsp. cumin
• 1/3tsp. nutmeg
• salt
• black pepper

for the béchamel sauce

• 370ml. milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 50gr. flour
• 50gr. butter
• black pepper
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 50gr. dry mizithra cheese (or parmesan)

directions

for the vegetables

• Preheat your oven to 210 degrees C and lay some baking paper into a pan.
• Cut all the vegetables in thick slices (8mm). Start with the eggplants as they need to rest cut for at least 15′ with some salt so as to lose all the extra water.
• When ready lay the vegetables into the pan (so that they do not overlap) and sprinkle some olive oil.
• Bake for 15′, or until the potatoes are soft.

for the minced meat

• Put in a pan the olive oil and warm it up.
• At the same time peel the onions and garlics and grate them into a bowl. When the oil is warm add them into the pan.
• After stirring for some seconds put the fire higher and add the meat little by little making sure that all the pieces you add are well sautéed.
• Put the fire in a medium-low level and add all the spices; laurel leaves, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & pepper.
• Mix well and then add the tomato sauce, the parsley and the water.
• Cover the pan and cook the meat for 20′ and then another 10′ without cover.
• Remove from the fire and set aside to get cold.

for the béchamel sauce

• Put in a pan the butter and melt it in medium heat.
• When the butter start melting add the flour and whisk vigorously.
• After that start adding the milk little by little and whisk really fast so that the mixture remains velvet without lumps.
• Make sure that you have a smooth sauce and remove from the fire.
• Add the yolks one by one mixing really fast so that the egg doesn’t get fried by the hot sauce.
• Add all the spices pepper and nutmeg. Finally add the grated cheese (dry mizithra or parmesan)

Getting ready..

• Preheat you oven to 180 degrees C.
• In a 25×25 cm baking pan sprinkle some olive oil.
• Start making layers using the vegetables; first place the potato slices, then the eggplant and at last the zucchini. Between the different layers add some salt, black pepper, oregano and olive oil.
• Above the vegetables lay the minced meat and then the béchamel sauce.
• Sprinkle some of the grated cheese on top and bake for 30′ until you get a golden crust.
• When ready set aside for 10′-15′ before serving..

Enjoy!

Tip!

• With this amazing dish suits great a xinomavro wine or a red dry wine!
• You can serve together with a fresh green salad!