Moussaka
12 servings
120 minutes
Moussaka is a Greek version of lasagna, in which thinly sliced eggplants serve as the dough. A fundamental institution of Greek cuisine. A hybrid of ragout and shepherd's pie, this dish is very ancient in essence and very modern in its brightness of taste. Moussaka can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and reheated in the oven before serving, sprinkled with grated cheese and finely chopped herbs. If you have extra eggplant tongues, you can put them on bread and eat them with moussaka. And of course, you need to choose the most delicious main ingredient .
1
Blend the tomatoes into a puree. Soak the dried currants in a small amount of boiling water for half an hour. Then dry them.
- Tomatoes in their own juice: 800 g
- Dried currants: 30 g
2
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, add the minced meat, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger, clove, salt and pepper and sauté for five minutes. Then transfer the meat to a sieve set over a bowl to drain the juices. Pour out excess liquid from the pan as well and add the remaining olive oil along with minced garlic and red pepper (previously charred and peeled) and finely chopped onion. Sauté for ten minutes. Then pour in the wine and cook for ten minutes while stirring until it evaporates.
- Extra virgin olive oil: 4 tablespoons
- Minced lamb: 450 g
- Cayenne pepper: 1 teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon: 0.5 teaspoon
- Ground ginger: 0.3 teaspoon
- Ground cloves: 0.3 teaspoon
- Garlic: 6 cloves
- Onion: 2 heads
- Red sweet pepper: 1 piece
- Red wine: 220 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
3
Add tomatoes, currants, and minced meat. Mix and cook over medium heat for half an hour until the sauce thickens.
- Tomatoes in their own juice: 800 g
- Dried currants: 30 g
- Minced lamb: 450 g
4
Slice the eggplants into rings about a millimeter thick and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Fry the sliced potatoes in the same way until soft.
- Eggplants: 650 g
- Vegetable oil: 330 ml
- Potato: 400 g
5
To make béchamel sauce: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and warm for a couple of minutes while stirring. Add flour, pour in milk while continuing to stir, add a bay leaf, and cook for fifteen minutes. Season with salt, pepper, add nutmeg, and remove the bay leaf. Cool for five minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk yogurt and egg yolks.
- Butter: 150 g
- Wheat flour: 80 g
- Milk: 250 ml
- Bay leaf: 1 piece
- Ground nutmeg: to taste
- Egg yolk: 3 pieces
- Greek yogurt: 100 ml
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
6
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place potato slices at the bottom of the baking dish, season with salt and pepper. On top, add eggplant slices, also seasoned with salt and pepper. Cover with meat sauce. Then pour béchamel sauce over the meat and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake for forty to forty-five minutes.
- Potato: 400 g
- Eggplants: 650 g
- Minced lamb: 450 g
- Grated Parmesan cheese: 200 g
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste