Description
Layers of eggplant, or aubergine, soak in the flavors of the meat sauce. Topped with a cheesy bechamel, this traditional Greek recipe is a bit time consuming but worth the effort.
Ingredients
2 1/2 lbs. medium size aubergines (eggplant)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup white wine
3 peeled and chopped tomatoes or 1 can (1 lb.)
3 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
Salt and pepper
3 + 2 heaping tablespoons toasted bread crumbs
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
Olive oil for brushing aubergine
For the bechamel sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash of nutmeg
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks + 1 egg
1 cup grated kefalotiri cheese (substitutes: asiago or parmesan reggiano)
Instructions
Wash aubergines and keep skin on. Cut aubergines in slices 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle them with salt and set aside for an hour to “sweat.”
Saute onion with butter until soft. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break up the meat. Cook until browned.
Add wine, tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer covered for about 45 minutes. (You can work on the bechamel sauce, see below)
Remove from heat and add 3 tablespoons toasted bread crumbs. Let cool about 10 minutes and stir in the egg whites. You don’t want the eggs to cook, be careful the sauce isn’t too hot.
For the bechamel sauce:
Melt butter over low heat in a sauce pan.
Add flour. Stir with a whisk until well blended and cook for a few minutes until bubbling.
Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth.
Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust as needed.
Turn off the heat. In a bowl, lightly beat egg yolks and the full egg. Gradually stir the eggs into the sauce. Stir in 2/3 cup of the grated cheese reserving the rest.
To assemble the moussaka and cook it:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse and wipe dry the aubergine slices. They must be cooked before layering them in the casserole. To grill them, brush each side with olive oil and grill on a 350 degree grill for about 5 minutes on each side until you see grill marks and they have shrunk or become less hydrated. To cook in a skillet, cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil and fry the slices for a few minutes on each side in batches. Lay them on a plate lined with paper towel.
Grease an oven proof 9 x 13 inch dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons bread crumbs on the bottom of the dish and cover the bottom with half the aubergine slices. Spread the meat sauce mixture on top. Cover with the rest of the aubergine. Pour the bechamel sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup cheese over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Serve warm. If you want to make ahead, you can bake it 2/3 of the way and the finish it in the oven before eat.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat before serving.