Moussaka
This classic Greek dish is as popular in France as elsewhere, and it’s arguably tastiest when made at home. It does take some effort, but the results are well worth it.
For success, use the freshest eggplants you can find. The method of salting them described below is something I learned when restaurants were closed during Covid and I had to satisfy my longing for Sichuan food by making it myself, from recipes on this excellent site. The eggplant slices seem to absorb less oil with this method.
As for the meat sauce, you can use ground beef or a combination of beef and lamb. The sauce is similar to a bolognese, with different spicing. You will also be making a béchamel (white sauce), in this case a rather thick one.
The recipe calls for freshly grated nutmeg and freshly grated parmesan, both of which are far better than the pre-grated store-bought variety. If you don’t have a nutmeg grater, you can use the smallest holes of your regular grater.
It took me about two hours to make the moussaka, including baking time. But the beauty of the recipe is that you can do it in stages, completing one step and then doing something else until you’re ready to move on to the next one.
The quantities below will serve 6 people. For a larger crowd, double the recipe.
2 small-medium eggplants (around 1-1/2 pounds / 680 g)
2-1/2 tsp. salt, plus a little extra
6-8 tbsp. olive oil, or more as needed
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
12 ounces (350 g) ground beef, or a mixture of beef and lamb
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence or oregano
pinch of thyme, preferably fresh
1 small tin tomatoes (14.5 ounces / 400 g)
1 tbsp. tomato paste
a few sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 egg
2 tbsp. (30 g) butter
2 tbsp. flour
1-1/4 cup milk
freshly grated nutmeg
2-3 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan (or Greek Kefalotyri if you can find it)
1) Salting the eggplant
Rinse the eggplants and slice into rounds about 1/5 inch (5 mm) thick.
Fill a large bowl with water. Stir in 1 tsp. salt. Add the eggplant slices. Place a plate on top of the eggplant slices to make sure they are fully immersed. Allow to soak for 10 minutes. Drain through a colander and allow to sit while you proceed with the next step.
2) Making the meat sauce
Peel and chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil to sizzling. Add the onion and sauté, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.
Add the ground meat, using a wooden spatula to break up any lumps. As it cooks, add 1 tsp. salt, the allspice, the cinnamon and grind on some black pepper. Add the herbes de Provence or oregano and the thyme.
When the meat has lost its pink color, add the tinned tomatoes, using your wooden spatula to break them up. Measure the tomato paste into a small bowl and loosen it up by stirring in several teaspoons of water, one at a time. Add to the skillet and stir in.
Allow the sauce to cook for about 5 minutes. While it’s cooking, chop enough parsley to make 3 tablespoons. Add the parsley and turn off the heat.
3) Cooking the eggplant
Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil to sizzling in a large skillet. Allow the pan to get good and hot. Add as many rounds of eggplant as will fit in a single layer. Fry until golden on both sides. Remove to a plate covered with paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
Repeat until all the eggplant rounds are cooked, adding more olive oil as necessary. For the record, this step took me about half an hour.
4) Making the béchamel
Tip: For this step, it’s important to use a normal saucepan, as the sauce won’t come together in a nonstick pot.
Begin by separating the egg. Place the yolk in a small bowl (you can discard the white).
Melt the butter over medium heat in your saucepan. Do not let it brown. Add the flour and stir to blend. Allow to cook for 1 minute, then pour in the milk. Increase the heat to bring the sauce to boiling. It will quickly thicken. Remove from heat.
Stir in 1/2 tsp. salt and grind on some black pepper. Grate a little nutmeg over the sauce (don’t overdo it, or it could overpower the sauce). Transfer a couple tablespoons of sauce to the small bowl with the yolk. Stir in quickly. Transfer back to the pot and stir to blend.
5) Assembly and baking
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C, gas mark 6).
Grate enough parmesan to make 3 tablespoons of cheese. Set aside.
Generously oil a medium-sized baking pan. Any shape is fine, but using a square pan makes cutting out portions easier. The pan I used measures 8 x 8 inches (20 x 20 cm).
Place a layer of eggplant rounds in the pan. Use about 2/3 of the rounds — you want to create a stable base. Spread the meat sauce over the eggplant. Top with the remaining eggplant rounds. Cover with the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with the grated parmesan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly.
Allow the moussaka to rest for half an hour. Then use a very sharp knife to cut it into portions. If you’d like to serve it piping hot, transfer the portions to a different baking pan lined with parchment paper and reheat for about 5 minutes.
Serves 5-6.
