Meat & Seafood · European

Moussaka

Name: Moussaka
Total time: 125 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 3 lb eggplants (1/2-inch slices); 4 tbsp olive oil; 2 lb ground beef or lamb; 1 unit yellow onion (chopped); 3 clove garlic (minced); 14 oz crushed tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato paste; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; 5 tbsp butter; 5 tbsp all-purpose flour; 3 cup whole milk; 2 unit large egg yolks; ¾ cup Parmesan (finely grated); 2 tsp salt

14 ingredients · 125 minutes · 2 servings

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No porkNo alcohol

Contains: gluten, dairy, egg

Ingredients

Servings:

3 lb	eggplants (1/2-inch slices)
4 tbsp	olive oil
2 lb	ground beef or lamb
1 unit	yellow onion (chopped)
3 clove	garlic (minced)
14 oz	crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp	tomato paste
½ tsp	ground cinnamon
5 tbsp	butter
5 tbsp	all-purpose flour
3 cup	whole milk
2 unit	large egg yolks
¾ cup	Parmesan (finely grated)
2 tsp	salt

Method

roast25 min
eggplant tender and lightly browned
Salt the eggplant lightly, brush with oil and roast until tender and browned at the edges. Cook it fully now; underdone eggplant stays spongy and releases water into the casserole.
simmer25 min
meat sauce thick with little free liquid
Brown the meat with onion, add garlic, tomatoes, paste, cinnamon and salt, then simmer until concentrated. A loose sauce makes the finished layers slide instead of slice.
mix12 min
béchamel thick enough to coat heavily
Cook butter and flour briefly, whisk in milk and cook until thick. Off heat, temper in egg yolks and half the cheese. The sauce must be substantially thicker than a pourable cream sauce so it stays as a distinct cap.
bake40 min
top deeply golden and center set
Layer eggplant and meat sauce, spread béchamel over the top and finish with remaining cheese. Bake until browned and set through.
rest25 min
layers firm enough to slice
Rest before cutting. The casserole is structurally fragile while bubbling hot; cooling lets the meat sauce and béchamel set around the eggplant layers.