Calissa in Water Mill shares its Moussaka recipe.
Moussaka
12 servings
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplant
- 1½-2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large potatoes
- ½ cup oil for frying eggplant
Meat Filling
- 2 lbs ground beef, lamb, or a combination
- 2 medium chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 14 ounce diced tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon each ground allspice and ground cloves (optional)
Bechamel Sauce
- 2 cups milk
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white or black pepper
Method:
1. Prepare the Vegetables
Slice the eggplant into ¼” slices. Sprinkle with approximately 1½ teaspoons sea salt on both sides. Layer on a paper towel-lined baking pan. Sweat for 15 to 30 minutes.
Wash and scrub potatoes then slice into ¼” thick rounds. Season on both sides with 1 teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a cast-iron skillet and fry potatoes for a few minutes on each side. Work in batches, and add more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels.
Pat the sliced eggplants with paper towels until dry. Heat a few more tablespoons of oil in the same pan and fry the eggplant on both sides until browned. Drain on paper towels.
2. Prepare Beef or Lamb
Add ground beef or lamb to a large pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the larger pieces with a wooden spoon. Add chopped onion, garlic, and parsley, and continue to cook until browned.
Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, wine, and seasoning. Simmer until most of the liquid is gone.
3. Prepare Bechamel Sauce
Add a bay leaf to 2 cups of milk then heat milk either in a medium saucepan or a microwave. Melt butter in a saucepan and cook over low heat until golden. Sprinkle flour into the pan and quickly whisk until smooth. Continue to cook the roux for a few minutes until nutty and golden brown.
Pour milk into the pan and whisk continuously until the bechamel sauce is smooth and no lumps remain. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg, and stir to combine.
4. Assemble Moussaka
Coat a disposable 9x13x4 inch-deep casserole pan with 1 teaspoon of butter or use cooking spray. Layer the potatoes on the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the meat mixture and half of the eggplant.
Add the remaining meat, using a slotted spoon in case there’s still too much liquid in the sauce. Top with the remaining eggplant slices.
Pour the creamy béchamel sauce over the eggplant.
5. Bake
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Carefully place the casserole pan on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any overflowing juices. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly, and the top layer starts to brown.
Allow the moussaka to rest for 20 to 30 minutes so that it doesn’t fall apart when you serve it. Slice and serve.