Moussaka

A classic Greek layered dish with aubergines, minced lamb, and béchamel sauce.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 45 min
Cook: 1h 15m
Total: 2 hours
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
6 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 3 large aubergines, sliced lengthways into 1cm slices
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1cm rounds
  • 500g minced lamb
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 150ml red wine
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Olive oil for frying
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • For the béchamel:
  • 75g butter
  • 75g plain flour
  • 600ml whole milk
  • 100g grated kefalotiri or parmesan cheese
  • 2 egg yolks
  • Pinch of nutmeg

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Brush the aubergine and potato slices with olive oil, season with salt, and roast on baking trays for 25-30 minutes until golden and tender. Set aside.

  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

  3. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the minced lamb, and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. This should take about 8-10 minutes.

  4. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, cinnamon, and oregano. Season generously with salt and pepper. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.

  5. For the béchamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 2 minutes to create a roux. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes.

  6. Remove from heat and stir in half the cheese and the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly, then beat in the egg yolks.

  7. To assemble, arrange the potato slices in the bottom of a large baking dish (approximately 30cm x 20cm). Layer half the aubergine slices on top, then spread all the meat sauce over them. Add the remaining aubergine slices as the final vegetable layer.

  8. Pour the béchamel sauce over the top, spreading it evenly to cover all the aubergine. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

  9. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving, as this helps it set and makes it easier to portion.

  10. Serve with a crisp Greek salad and crusty bread.