Moussaka

Name: Moussaka
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 170 min
Total time: 220 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Beef ground 1.1 lbs; Pork ground 1.1 lbs; Tomato purée 0.42 cup; Tomato paste 2 tbsp; Onions 1; Celery 1 rib; Garlic 2 cloves; Sugar ½ tsp; Red wine 1 glass; Bay leaves 2 leaves; Cinnamon sticks 1; Star anise to taste; Parsley to taste; Nutmeg to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Eggplant 2.2 lbs; Type 00 flour (for flouring) to taste; Peanut seed oil (for frying) to taste; Whole milk 2 cups; Greek yogurt 1 cup; Type 00 flour 0.4 cup; Butter 3 ½ tbsp; Nutmeg to taste; Black pepper to taste; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese to grate to taste; Breadcrumbs to taste; Oregano dried to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 2 h 50 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Vasiliki Pierrakea

It is one of the most famous dishes of Greek cuisine and has always conquered anyone who tastes it: we are talking about moussaka, the typical eggplant and minced meat casserole covered with a generous layer of béchamel! A recipe far from quick and light, but we assure you that each layer will reward you with its rich and succulent taste… word of Vasiliki Pierrakea who shows us how to prepare this delicacy step by step. In this version, the ragù is based on beef and pork. There are no potatoes, but rather two layers of fried eggplant slices as tradition dictates. The béchamel is enriched with yogurt which makes it dense and full-bodied just right. In short, a sort of lasagna in Hellenic style that will literally make you lick your chops… if you are among those who have never had the opportunity to taste moussaka, the time has finally come to try it!

Also discover these famous Greek cuisine recipes:

Spanakopita
Greek salad
Lamb kleftiko
Greek-style octopus

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the ragù: Beef 1.1 lbs (500 g) - ground; Pork 1.1 lbs (500 g) - ground; Tomato purée 0.42 cup (100 g); Tomato paste 2 tbsp (25 g); Onions 1; Celery 1 rib; Garlic 2 cloves; Sugar ½ tsp; Red wine 1 glass; Bay leaves 2 leaves; Cinnamon sticks 1; Star anise to taste; Parsley to taste; Nutmeg to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

For the eggplants: Eggplant 2.2 lbs (1 kg); Type 00 flour to taste - (for flouring); Peanut seed oil to taste - (for frying)

For the yogurt béchamel: Whole milk 2 cups (500 g); Greek yogurt 1 cup (250 g); Type 00 flour 0.4 cup (50 g); Butter 3 ½ tbsp (50 g); Nutmeg to taste; Black pepper to taste

To assemble: Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese to taste - to grate; Breadcrumbs to taste; Oregano to taste - dried; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Moussaka

To make the moussaka, start by preparing the ragù: clean and coarsely chop the celery 1 and onion 2. Heat a generous amount of oil in a saucepan and add the onions 3.

Also add the celery 4 and peeled garlic cloves 5 and sauté until the onion is softened, then add the sugar 6.

At this point, add the beef 7 and pork 8 and brown it over high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon 9.

After about 5 minutes, deglaze with red wine 10, then season with cinnamon, star anise 11, and bay leaves 12.

Add the tomato puree 13 and tomato paste 14, mix well and let it simmer over high heat. Add the chopped parsley 15.

Grate some nutmeg 16, season with salt 17 and pepper. Lower the heat and cook for about an hour and a half 18.

Move on to the eggplants: remove the stem and trim the sides 19, then cut them lengthwise into slices about 0.4 inches thick 20. Flour the eggplant slices on both sides 21 and heat the seed oil to a temperature of 355°F.

Immerse the eggplants in the hot oil 22 and fry until golden brown 23, then drain on paper towels and let them rest 24.

In the meantime, prepare the béchamel: pour the milk into a small saucepan 25 and heat it with the addition of nutmeg 26 and pepper 27.

Meanwhile, place another saucepan on the stove with the flour and butter 28 and stir until you get a golden roux 29, then add the hot milk 30.

Continue stirring over medium heat to thicken the mixture 31. When you have obtained a rather thick béchamel, turn off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Finally, add the Greek yogurt 32 and mix to incorporate it evenly, adjusting with more pepper and nutmeg to taste 33.

You're ready to assemble the moussaka: grease a deep baking dish measuring about 10x8 inches at the base 34, cover the bottom with a spoonful of béchamel 35, and arrange a layer of eggplants, slightly overlapping them 36.

Sprinkle with some grated Parmesan 37, breadcrumbs 38, and oregano 39.

Cover with a generous amount of ragù, distributing it evenly over the entire surface 40, then add another layer of eggplants, again slightly overlapping the slices 41. Sprinkle again with Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, breadcrumbs, and oregano, then cover everything with the béchamel 42 and level the surface.

Finish with more Parmigiano Reggiano DOP 43 and breadcrumbs, then bake in a preheated static oven at 355°F for 45 minutes 44. Remove from the oven and serve your moussaka 45!