Description
A classic Greek Moussaka recipe featuring layers of fried eggplant, zucchini, and potatoes, a rich spiced ground beef tomato sauce, and a creamy pecorino-infused béchamel topping, baked to golden perfection. This dish offers a perfect blend of hearty flavors and textures that make it irresistibly delicious for any dinner occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 large White Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely diced
- 1.6lb / 750g Ground/Minced Beef (preferably fairly lean)
- 2 heaped tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1/2 cup / 120ml Dry Red Wine (can substitute with more beef stock)
- 1 cup / 240ml Tomato Passata
- 1 cup / 240ml Beef Stock
- 1/4 cup finely diced Fresh Parsley, plus extra to serve
- 1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 2 small or 1 large Bay Leaf
- 3/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
Béchamel Sauce
- 4oz / 120g Unsalted Butter
- 4oz / 120g Plain Flour
- 4 cups / 1 litre Milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/2 small Nutmeg, grated (or 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper
- 1 cup / 80g freshly grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra to serve
- 2 Egg Yolks
Vegetables for Frying
- 2 cups / 480ml Vegetable or Olive Oil (enough to cover vegetables in pan)
- 1.6lb / 750g (approx 2 large) Baking Potatoes, peeled & sliced about 1/4″ thick
- 1lb / 500g (approx 2 medium) Zucchini/Courgettes, sliced into 1/3″ strips lengthwise
- 2lb / 1kg (approx 4 smallish) Eggplants/Aubergine, sliced about 1/3″ thick, lengthwise or rounds
- Salt & Pepper, as needed
- Few pinches of Parsley & Pecorino Romano to sprinkle between layers
Instructions
- Make the Beef Layer: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the finely diced onion until soft and golden. Add garlic and cook for about a minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as you go. Stir in tomato paste and fry for a couple minutes. Deglaze the pan with red wine, then add passata and beef stock. Season with parsley, thyme, cinnamon, salt, sugar, pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer gently for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Lay sheets of paper towel on a flat surface. Arrange eggplant slices in a row, sprinkle salt on both sides, then cover with two layers of paper towels. Add zucchini slices on top with another paper towel layer. Finally, add potato slices and top with paper towels. Press gently to absorb excess moisture from all vegetable layers.
- Fry the Vegetables: Heat enough oil in a pan to fully cover vegetables to about 150°C (300°F). Fry potato slices until lightly golden and fork-tender on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Increase oil temperature to 170°C (340°F) and fry zucchini until softened and lightly browned, then fry eggplant slices last. Drain thoroughly on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Prepare the Béchamel Sauce: Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Stir in flour to form a roux, then gradually whisk in room temperature milk to avoid lumps. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt, white pepper, and grated nutmeg. Remove from heat, stir in grated pecorino until smooth, and immediately whisk in egg yolks. Reserve 1/2 cup of the béchamel to mix into the beef sauce.
- Assemble the Moussaka: In a baking dish, layer potato slices overlapping as needed. Sprinkle parsley, pecorino, salt, and pepper. Follow with zucchini slices and another sprinkle of parsley, pecorino, salt, and pepper. Add half the eggplant slices with salt and pepper. Pack layers compactly. Spread the beef mixture over the eggplant. Top with remaining eggplant slices and then pour over the béchamel sauce evenly.
- Bake and Serve: Sprinkle additional pecorino on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden and lightly browned. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving to help it set and maintain shape. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- To speed up cooking, you can bake some vegetables instead of frying—especially potatoes and eggplants.
- Pressing salted eggplant removes bitterness and excess moisture, ensuring they fry crisp and don’t make the moussaka watery.
- If you prefer, substitute kefalotiri cheese with parmesan or pecorino as noted.
- Letting the baked moussaka rest after cooking helps it slice neatly and enhances flavor melding.
- Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature during frying for best texture.
- Ground beef should be fairly lean to avoid excessive grease in the sauce.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
