Let’s start with the absolute legend of Greek food. Moussaka! I think this is my absolute favourite food-or is it? It’s such a comforting food with all the different layers dancing in your mouth with every taste. Look at me describing food!
I remember eagerly anticipating for early summer so that my dad, who is a farmer, to bring home lovely, juicy aubergines in order for my mum to cook us Moussaka. Of course my mum makes the best Moussaka (as every Greek mum) but she had great ingredients too.
Moussaka is a layered dish with aubergines and/or potatoes and ground meat. Traditionally, lamp minced meat is used but beef mince can be used as well. All this goodness is topped with bechamel sauce. I mean really!
Now, the process is usually long and it can take you about one hour or more to prepare everything. I remember, when I was running my own business is Qatar, cooking Greek food, everyone- and I mean everyone- asked for Moussaka. So understandably, I stopped cooking it as even the thought put me off. Until i decided to re-invent the recipe without missing out on the traditional flavour.
What I have done is:
- stopped frying for hours and hours. No, you don’t need that in your life. Instead, I bake everything in the oven. Layer by layer.
- You can prepare the mince meat sauce the day before. I mean who is stopping you and who would know?
- I am going to be sharing a foolproof bechamel sauce method that only takes 7-8 minutes to thicken
Right, let’s get cooking my darlings.
INGREDIENTS
(serves 8)
3 aubergines
5 large potatoes
3 zucchini
For the meat sauce
750gr beef and pork mince
1 large onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
800gr passata
1/4 cup olive oil
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
salt/pepper to taste
2 tbsp parsley chopped
For the bechamel sauce
5 cups milk (full fat or semi)
2 eggs
5 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp butter
salt/ pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp breadcrumps
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1
For the meat sauce
- In a pan, add the mince meat and cook until all the juices have evaporated.
- Add the olive oil, onions, and garlic. Let it fry for 2 minutes
- At this point, add the spices and stir.
- Pour the tomato passata and 1/2 cup of water and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- When the sauce has thicken, remove from the heat, add the parsley and let it cool
♥ Tip: the meat sauce can be prepared the day before. If you live in a hot country pop it in the fridge.
Step 2
For the filling
- Pre heat the oven at 180°C
- Cut the potatoes in thin slices
- Place in a deep oven pan creating a layer, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and cook until soft. You can check that by inserting a fork
- Cut the aubergines the same way and place them on top of the cooked potatoes creating another layer. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and cook until soft.
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise and create a third layer on top of the potatoes and aubergines. drizzle with some olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper and cook until soft.
Step 3
- After you have cooked the vegetables pour on top the meat sauce and spread evenly to create another layer
♥If you would like to have more vegetables on top of the meat sauce just bake them in a different pan and create more layers in the same order as before.
Step 4
For the bechamel sauce
In a pot add the milk, flour, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place on medium heat and stir with a whisk until it thickens. when the sauce starts to bubble, remove from the heat and add the butter and stir until it melts.
Step 5
Adding the bechamel sauce
Pour the bechamel sauce on top of the meat sauce layer and sprinkle with some breadcrumbs. Cook in the oven at 180ºC for 45 minutes until nicely browned on top
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