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GreekAuthentic Cuisine

Moussaka

Serves 4 to 6 Entree meat

Moussaka

Moussaka is a staple at Greek Sunday tables, a dish that embodies the essence of home cooking. It's prepared with an unmeasured generosity of olive oil, seasoned with a pinch-of-this and a dash-of-that approach, and always with a lemon nearby, just in case. This version is true to the way Greek family cooks have crafted it for generations, each layer assembled with care and tradition.

The taste is a harmonious blend of tender eggplant, savory ground lamb, and a hint of cinnamon, all wrapped in a creamy béchamel embrace. The top layer of kefalotyri forms a golden crust, offering a satisfying contrast to the rich and hearty interior. Serve it warm, allowing the flavors to meld and the textures to shine, each forkful a journey to the heart of Greek culinary tradition.

Ingredients

  • 3eggplants — sliced and fried
  • 500 gground lamb
  • 2potatoes — sliced and fried
  • 1onion — chopped
  • 400 gtomatoes — grated
  • 1 tspground cinnamon
  • 500 mlbéchamel sauce
  • 80 mlolive oil
  • 80 gkefalotyri — grated
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Start by preparing the eggplants and potatoes. Slice the 3 eggplants into 1 cm thick rounds and the 2 potatoes into slightly thinner slices. Heat 40 ml of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant slices in batches until they are golden brown on both sides, adding more oil as needed. Remove them from the pan and set them aside on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Repeat the process with the potato slices until they are golden and slightly crispy.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 40 ml of olive oil over medium heat. Finely chop the onion and sauté it until it becomes translucent and soft. Add the 500 g of ground lamb to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until it is browned and no pink remains. Dice the 400 g of tomatoes and add them to the skillet along with 1 tsp of ground cinnamon and a pinch of fine sea salt and black pepper. Simmer the mixture until it thickens and most of the liquid has evaporated, leaving a rich, aromatic sauce.
  3. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large baking dish, begin layering the moussaka. Start with a layer of fried potatoes, followed by a layer of eggplant slices. Spread half of the lamb mixture evenly over the vegetables. Add another layer of eggplant and then the remaining lamb mixture. Finish with a final layer of eggplant slices.
  4. Pour 500 ml of béchamel sauce over the top layer, spreading it evenly with a spatula to cover all the eggplant. Grate 80 g of kefalotyri cheese and sprinkle it generously over the béchamel. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake until the top is set and turns a beautiful golden brown, with the edges bubbling slightly.
  5. Once baked, remove the moussaka from the oven and let it rest for fifteen minutes. This resting period allows the layers to set, making it easier to cut clean squares. Serve the moussaka warm, and savor the rich flavors and textures of this classic Greek dish.
Cover of Authentic Greek Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Greek Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Greek Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Greek volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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