Moussaka: the Original Greek Eggplant Casserole

Moussaka is a typical Greek casserole, loaded with layers of lamb, cheese, and eggplants. This dish is characterized by a layered preparation, similarly to a lasagna or an eggplants parmesan. The base consists of a layer of fried potatoes, then there is a layer of fried eggplants and a layer of mixed meat ragu, usually lamb or beef and pork. Then a sprinkle of the Greek cheese kefalotiri (that can be easily substituted with a mixture of Parmesan cheese and Pecorino cheese), and finally a last layer of bechamel sauce that cover everything. Moussaka (or mousakà) must be baked in the oven, and can be served both as a second course or as a single course, a concentrate of true goodness for a great Sunday lunch forgetting about calories for a while!

How to make moussaka step by step

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Step 1

Start by preparing the mixed meat ragu: in a frying pan pour oil and chopped onion, fry until they are browned and then add the ground meat 1. Let it cook for a few minutes, add salt and pepper, and pour half a glass of white wine 2. Then add tomato puree 3 and the cinnamon, and cook until the sauce will get thickened.

Start by preparing the mixed meat ragu: in a frying pan pour oil and chopped onion, fry until they are browned and then add the ground meat 1. Let it cook for a few minutes, add salt and pepper, and pour half a glass of white wine 2. Then add tomato puree 3 and the cinnamon, and cook until the sauce will get thickened.

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Step 4

Wash and cut in thin slices the eggplants and let them fry in a frying pan full of peanut oil 4. Proceed in the same way with potatoes cut into very thin slices. Once fried, drain them on a plate covered with oil-absorbing cooking paper, dry them, add salt and put them on the bottom of the casserole dish 5. Do the same thing with the eggplants, placing a layer of them over the potatoes 6.

Wash and cut in thin slices the eggplants and let them fry in a frying pan full of peanut oil 4. Proceed in the same way with potatoes cut into very thin slices. Once fried, drain them on a plate covered with oil-absorbing cooking paper, dry them, add salt and put them on the bottom of the casserole dish 5. Do the same thing with the eggplants, placing a layer of them over the potatoes 6.

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Step 7

Proceed with half the ground meat 7, add the grated Pecorino cheese and Parmesan cheese and then continue with the second layer of eggplants, and finish with the other half of the ground meat and the remaining cheese 8. Then prepare the bechamel 9 following our recipe.

Proceed with half the ground meat 7, add the grated Pecorino cheese and Parmesan cheese and then continue with the second layer of eggplants, and finish with the other half of the ground meat and the remaining cheese 8. Then prepare the bechamel 9 following our recipe.

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Step 10

Cover all with the béchamel 10 and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes. After taking the moussaka out of the oven 11, let it cool before slicing and serving it 12.

Cover all with the béchamel 10 and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes. After taking the moussaka out of the oven 11, let it cool before slicing and serving it 12.

Tips

• If you do not like lamb meat, you can choose beef as well as calf.
• Try this meat free moussaka if you are vegetarian.
• If you prefer, you can replace the eggplants with zucchini.
• To make a perfect béchamel, I recommend using whole milk.
• If you have time, after cutting them, add salt to the eggplants and leave them in a colander covered with a plate. Wait a couple of hours until they release a dark liquid. Then, wash them and dry them with a cloth. This process will help to eliminate some bitterness from the eggplants.