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Moussaka

Takes 90 minutes | Serves 6 |

A traditional Greek dish with layers of vegetables, ground meat, and béchamel sauce.

Ingredients

  • 3 units potatoes
  • 2 units zucchinis
  • 2 units eggplants
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch pepper
  • 1 unit onion
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon thyme
  • 3 pinches granulated sugar
  • 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 500 grams ground beef
  • 400 grams canned tomatoes
  • 0.5 bunch parsley
  • 0.5 bunch basil
  • 100 grams butter
  • 100 grams all-purpose flour
  • 750 ml whole milk
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • 150 grams parmesan cheese
  • 3 units egg yolks

Steps

    Vegetables

    • Place a deep pan over high heat. Add the sunflower oil and let it get hot.
    • Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin rounds.
    • Slice the eggplants and zucchini into thin rounds and fry in a separate pan for 5-10 minutes.
    • Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a baking pan lined with paper towels. Allow to drain from excess oil.

    Ground Meat

    • Place a pot over high heat and add the olive oil.
    • Coarsely chop the onion and add to pan.
    • Finely chop the garlic and add to pan along with thyme, cloves, cinnamon and sugar. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until they caramelize nicely.
    • Add the ground meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. Sauté until golden brown.
    • Add the tomato paste and sauté so that it loses its bitterness.
    • Add the chopped tomatoes, lower heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
    • Remove from heat and add the parsley and coarsely chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper.

    Béchamel Sauce

    • Place a pot over medium heat.
    • Add the butter and let it melt.
    • Add the flour and whisk until it soaks up all of the butter.
    • Add the milk in small batches while continuously whisking so that no lumps form.
    • As soon as the béchamel sauce thickens and bubbles start to form on the surface, remove from heat.
    • Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper, 100 g parmesan and 3 egg yolks. Whisk thoroughly.

    Assembly

    • Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) Fan.
    • In a 25x32 cm baking pan, spread a layer of potatoes, cover with a layer of eggplants and top with a layer of zucchini. Season in between layers.
    • Add 2-3 tablespoons of béchamel sauce to the ground meat mixture and mix. Spread the ground meat over the vegetables.
    • Cover with the béchamel sauce, spreading it evenly and sprinkle with 50 g of grated parmesan.
    • Bake for 35-40 minutes.
    • When ready, remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve with fresh herbs and olive oil.

Nutritional Information

500 calories per serving