Moussaka

Sometimes referred to as a "Greek Lasagna,” but this dish contains eggplant instead of pasta.

Moussaka is something of a national dish in Greece, but it is thought to have actually originated in Arabia when eggplant found its way into that country from sub-Saharan Africa. The dish migrated throughout the Middle East and the first known recipe was published in a Turkish cookbook in the very late 19th Century. Via Europe, it found its way to Greece and was quickly adopted in much the way southern Italy adopted Lasagna. Some folks refer to Moussaka as a "Greek Lasagna," but this is something of a misnomer as it contains no pasta. If anything, it more resembles the British dish (for which Kitchen Tapestry has a recipe), Shepherd's Pie.

But like Lasagna, there can be wide variations, and many regional adaptations of the dish. Generally, Moussaka is defined by the presence of four base ingredients: ground lamb or beef, tomatoes, eggplant and Béchamel sauce. But from there, the variations are endless, including the addition of potatoes, zucchini, chick peas, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions and even cabbage. Seasonings generally include parsley, cinnamon and allspice, but again, a wide variation of other spices is found throughout Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East.

I took my inspiration from the Spruce Eats website, but as usual made my own adaptations. Generally, My Number One Fan was complimentary of the first attempt, but made some recommendations that I incorporated as I perfected the recipe. While traditionally, the peel is left on the eggplant for this dish, I prefer to remove it, and I also think a 50/50 mix of ground lamb and ground beef works best for flavor a Mediterranean authenticity.

Moussaka

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Yield: 6-8

Author: Major Walloughby

Sometimes referred to as a "Greek Lasagna,' but this dish contains eggplant instead of pasta.

Ingredients

For the Moussaka Filling

• 2-3 medium-sized eggplants
• 1 lb each ground beef and ground lamb
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes (like, Hunt's)
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/2 cup dried parsley
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil for sautéing
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
• 7-8 grinds freshly cracked black pepper
• non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)

For the Béchamel Topping

• 5 tbsp butter
• 5 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3-1/2 cups whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the Moussaka Filling

1. Peel the eggplant and then cut lengthwise into 1/4- inch slices, and then half each slice lengthwise.
2. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
3. On a couple of sheet pans lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, thoroughly coat the eggplant slices with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Don't delay getting them into the oven after applying the salt, or it will begin to leech water out of the vegetable, creating a soggy mess.
4. Bake the eggplant for 45 minutes. You want them slightly soft and limp but still malleable.
5. In the meantime, in a large skillet over medium high heat, sauté the onion until it begins to pick up some caramelized color, about 10 minutes.
6. Add the ground beef and lamb to the skillet and sauté until all the pink color is gone, about another 10 minutes. Drain the pan of all rendered fat.
7. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, garlic, allspice, parsley and red wine and season with more pepper than salt. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
8. Continue to sauté the mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
9. Liberally spray an 11" x 9" casserole dish with the non-stick cooking spray and then start with a layer of eggplant, followed by a layer of the meat filling.
10. Repeat the process finishing with a layer of eggplant.
11. Pour the Béchamel Topping over the casserole and smooth out so it is level and evenly coats the top of the casserole.
12. Finish with the cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
13. Bake 50 - 60 minutes uncovered. Allow the casserole to cool for fifteen minutes after removing from the oven so you can extract nice, clean squares.

For the Béchamel Topping

1. Put the milk in a microwave-safe container and zap it a couple of times to take out the refrigerator chill.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter, and then add the flour a bit at a time as you constantly stir.
3. When all the flour is incorporated into the butter, this is called a roux. Cook the roux for about a minute, then, slowly add the milk k a little at a time, allowing it to mix with the roux, and thicken.
4. Repeat this process until all the milk is added, and then continue to stir until the Béchamel has thickened to the consistency of a thick cream gravy.
5. Temper the egg yolks by first blending them together in a separate bowl with a whisk.
6. Put in a tablespoon of Béchamel sauce into the egg yolks while continuing to whisk. Repeat this a couple more times so the yolks have come up to temperature, and then whisk everything back into the saucepan with the Béchamel Sauce off of the direct heat.
7. Add a little salt and pepper and your topping is now ready.

Notes

• For the Béchamel Topping, you can substitute 3 cups 1%-2% milk with 1/2 cup heavy cream for the 3-1/2 cups of whole milk.
• Just a word of caution on the cinnamon and allspice: these are very aromatic spices, so measure carefully. You can always add more later, but it is easy to over-season and over-power the subtle balance of the dish's flavors if you measure carelessly.

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Greek, Lamb, Beef, Eggplant, Casserole, Moussaka

Mexican & Mediterranean, Crockpot & Casseroles

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