Description
A classic Greek Moussaka recipe featuring layers of fried potatoes, zucchini, and eggplants combined with a rich and flavorful ground beef tomato sauce, topped with a creamy pecorino béchamel, baked to golden perfection. This dish offers a hearty and comforting Mediterranean meal that perfectly balances savory, aromatic spices and creamy textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 large White Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves of 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 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
- 2 cups / 480ml Vegetable or Olive Oil, or enough to cover veg in the pan
- 1.6lb / 750g (approx 2 large) Baking Potatoes, peeled & sliced around 1/4 inch thick
- 1lb / 500g (approx 2 medium) Zucchini/Courgettes, sliced into approx 1/3 inch strips (lengthwise)
- 2lb / 1kg (approx 4 smallish) Eggplants/Aubergine, sliced around 1/3 inch thickness (lengthwise or rounds)
- Few pinches of Parsley & Pecorino Romano (to sprinkle in between layers)
- Salt & Pepper, as needed
Instructions
- Prepare Beef Layer: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and fry until soft and golden. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Mix in the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Add the tomato passata and beef stock. Season with parsley, thyme, cinnamon, salt, sugar, pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.
- Prepare Vegetables for Frying: Lay out sheets of paper towel on a flat surface. Place eggplant slices on the paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt. Layer two sheets of paper towels on top, then add zucchini slices, another layer of paper towels, followed by potato slices and a final layer of paper towels. Gently press down to absorb excess moisture from the vegetables.
- Fry Vegetables: Heat enough vegetable or olive oil in a large frying pan to cover the vegetables, bringing the temperature to around 150°C/300°F. Fry the potato slices in batches, turning until lightly golden and tender. Remove to paper towels to drain excess oil. Increase oil temperature to around 170°C/340°F and fry zucchini slices until softened and lightly browned. Lastly, fry eggplant slices until golden and soft. Drain all vegetables thoroughly on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Make Béchamel Sauce: In a pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour to form a roux and cook briefly. Gradually whisk in the milk, avoiding lumps. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt, white pepper, and grated nutmeg. Remove from heat and stir in the grated pecorino until smooth. Quickly whisk in the egg yolks to enrich the sauce. Reserve half a cup of béchamel to mix into the beef sauce.
- Assemble Moussaka: In a baking dish, layer the fried potato slices, sprinkling each layer with parsley, pecorino, salt, and pepper. Follow with zucchini slices along with the same seasoning. Add half of the fried eggplant slices with salt and pepper. Press layers together to minimize gaps. Spread the beef sauce evenly over the layered vegetables. Add the remaining fried eggplant on top. Pour over the remaining béchamel sauce, spreading it evenly.
- Bake and Serve: Sprinkle extra grated pecorino over the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and lightly charred. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes to set and maintain shape. Serve warm, garnished with additional parsley if desired.
Notes
- You can speed up frying by using two pans simultaneously or alternatively bake the vegetables if you prefer a lighter dish.
- Letting the moussaka rest before serving helps it set and keeps slices intact when cut.
- For a traditional taste, use Kefalotiri cheese instead of Pecorino Romano if available.
- Adjust seasoning according to taste during the preparation of the beef sauce and béchamel.
- Ensure oil temperature is carefully monitored when frying vegetables to achieve perfect tenderness without absorbing too much oil.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Greek
