Moussaka

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 230°C fan. Lightly grease a small baking dish, about 18 x 14 cm. Arrange the eggplant slices on trays, brush both sides with the olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 18-20 minutes, turning once halfway, until the slices are tender and lightly browned at the edges. Roasting rather than frying keeps the dish within time while still concentrating the eggplant's flavor.

2. 2

   While the eggplant roasts, make the lamb filling. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and lightly golden, then add the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the ground lamb and break it up well; cook for 5-6 minutes until no pink remains and some browned bits form, which will deepen the flavor.

3. 3

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to remove its raw taste. Add the red wine and let it reduce by about half, scraping up any browned bits. Add the tomato passata, cinnamon, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the filling is thick and spoonable rather than watery; this is essential so the moussaka slices cleanly after baking.

4. 4

   For the béchamel, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute to form a pale roux; do not let it brown. Gradually whisk in the milk in 3 additions, keeping it smooth after each addition. Cook for 3-4 minutes, whisking, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. 5

   Remove the béchamel from the heat and whisk in the Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Let it cool for 1 minute, then whisk in the egg yolk quickly so it enriches the sauce without scrambling. The finished sauce should be thick but still spreadable.

6. 6

   Lower the oven to 200°C fan. Assemble the moussaka in the greased dish: make a first layer with half the roasted eggplant, overlapping slightly; spread over all the lamb filling in an even layer; top with the remaining eggplant. Spoon over the béchamel and spread it to the corners. Finish with the remaining Parmesan for a well-browned crust.

7. 7

   Bake for 18-20 minutes until bubbling around the edges and deeply golden on top. If needed, switch to grill for the last 1-2 minutes for extra color, watching closely so it does not burn.

8. 8

   Rest the moussaka for 10 minutes before slicing; this short rest helps the layers settle and makes serving neater. Serve hot.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For the best texture in a 60-minute version, slice the eggplant evenly and roast it on well-spaced trays so it browns instead of steaming.
• •If your lamb is very fatty, spoon off excess rendered fat before adding the tomatoes to keep the filling rich but not greasy.
• •A small, deeper baking dish gives cleaner layers for a 2-serving moussaka than a wide shallow dish.
• •You can substitute kefalotyri or pecorino for Parmesan for a more traditional Greek-style salty finish.

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