Moussaka with eggplant

Votes: 32

Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Complexity: easily
Servings: 12

Moussaka, a Greek eggplant casserole, has long won hearts around the world with its exquisite flavor. It's aromatic, filling, and so summery. Why not make it a staple in your diet, especially during eggplant season? Layer fried eggplant with a meat filling of ground beef and tomato paste in a casserole, top with a creamy sauce, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Don't forget to add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. The aroma will be indescribable! This moist moussaka, drenched in béchamel sauce, is hidden under a baked crust. It will surely satisfy a crowd.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

Eggplants

3 medium eggplant
120 ml olive oil

Meat sauce

350 g of ground beef
2 tbsp (30 g) butter
2 onions, finely chopped
150 ml dry white wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
120 ml of water
2 tbsp. l. parsley, chopped
A pinch of cinnamon

Béchamel sauce

4 tbsp (60 g) butter
4 tbsp flour
2 cups of milk
A pinch of nutmeg
150 g of grated kefalotyri cheese and another 120 g.

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: eggplants, ground beef, goat cheese, white wine, tomato paste, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

EggplantsWash the eggplants and trim the ends. Peel the skin into 1-cm strips, leaving the striped eggplants. Slice into 0.8-cm-thick slices. Season the slices with salt and pepper on both sides and let them rest for 30 minutes. Then rinse and pat dry.

Heat oil in a large saucepan and fry the eggplant slices on both sides until golden brown. Place the cooked slices on paper towels to drain off excess oil.
Preheat oven to 170°C.

Meat sauceMelt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft. Then add the ground beef and cook for another 6 minutes, until browned. Pour in the wine and let it evaporate. Next, add the tomato paste, water, and parsley, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool.
Béchamel sauceMelt the butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the flour and gradually add the milk. Cook, stirring, until a thick, smooth sauce forms. Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cool the sauce. Add 120 g of cheese and mix well.
Assembling moussakaGrease a 22 x 32 x 5 cm baking dish with butter. Layer alternately half the eggplant and half the minced meat until everything is covered. Drizzle the moussaka with béchamel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Then remove the pan and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 20 minutes. Cut the moussaka into 7cm squares and serve warm.

Recipe Greek moussaka.