Moussaka

Name: Moussaka
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 3 Globe eggplant, sliced 1 cm thick; ⅓ cup Extra virgin olive oil, divided; 900 g Ground lamb; 1 Yellow onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves Garlic, minced; 2 tbsp Tomato paste; 28 oz Canned whole peeled tomatoes, one can, crushed by hand; ½ cup Dry red wine (optional); 1 tsp Ground cinnamon; ½ tsp Ground allspice; 1 tsp Dried oregano; 2 tsp Table salt, divided; ½ tsp Ground black pepper; 6 tbsp Unsalted butter, for the béchamel; ½ cup All-purpose flour, for the béchamel; 3 cups Whole milk, warm; 2 Eggs (large), yolks only; ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg; 2 oz Parmesan cheese (wedge), finely grated, divided

2 hr 30 minServes 8$107.21

Slices of roasted eggplant are layered with ground lamb simmered in tomato with cinnamon, allspice, and a splash of red wine if using, then covered with a thick nutmeg béchamel enriched with egg yolks and grated cheese and baked until deep golden. Parmesan stands in for kefalotyri, a Greek sheep's-milk cheese that is not a canonical ingredient. Some versions add a layer of potatoes; this one does not.

Ingredients

3Globe eggplantsliced 1 cm thick
⅓ cupExtra virgin olive oildividedBuy 1 bottle
900 gGround lambBuy 2 packages
1Yellow onionfinely choppedBuy 0.32 lb
3 clovesGarlicmincedBuy 1 head
2 tbspTomato pasteBuy 1 can
28 ozCanned whole peeled tomatoesone can, crushed by handBuy 1 can
½ cupDry red wine (optional)Buy 1 bottle
1 tspGround cinnamonBuy 1 jar
½ tspGround allspiceBuy 1 jar
1 tspDried oreganoBuy 1 jar
2 tspTable saltdividedBuy 1 canister
½ tspGround black pepperBuy 1 jar
6 tbspUnsalted butterfor the béchamelBuy 1 package
½ cupAll-purpose flourfor the béchamelBuy 1 bag
3 cupsWhole milkwarmBuy 1 carton
2Eggs (large)yolks onlyBuy 1 carton
¼ tspGround nutmegBuy 1 jar
2 ozParmesan cheese (wedge)finely grated, dividedBuy 1 package

Substitution

Parmesan cheese (wedge) in place of “Kefalotyri cheese, grated”. Parmesan replaces kefalotyri, a hard, salty Greek sheep's-milk cheese that is not a canonical ingredient; Parmesan is nuttier and less tangy but browns the same way.

Method

Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush the eggplant slices with half the olive oil, season with 1 tsp of the salt, and roast on baking sheets until soft and browned, about 25 minutes, turning once. Lower the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Brown the lamb in the remaining oil, breaking it up; spoon off excess fat, add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft.
Stir in the tomato paste, then the tomatoes, the wine if using, cinnamon, allspice, oregano, the remaining salt, and the pepper; simmer until thick, about 30 minutes.
For the béchamel, melt the butter, whisk in the flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and simmer until thick; off the heat, beat in the egg yolks, nutmeg, and half the cheese.
Layer half the eggplant in a 23 x 33 cm baking dish, spread over the meat sauce, add the remaining eggplant, then pour over the béchamel and scatter with the remaining cheese.
Bake until deep golden, about 45 minutes, and rest 20 minutes before cutting.