Moussaka
Roasted eggplant layered with a beef sauce spiced with cinnamon and oregano, under a thick bechamel enriched with egg yolks and cheese that sets into a custard as it bakes.
- 1
Salt the eggplant slabs with the 1 tablespoon salt and drain in a colander for 30 minutes, then blot dry.
- 2
Heat the oven to 400°F. Brush the eggplant with the olive oil, spread it on two sheet pans, and roast 25 minutes, turning once, until soft and browned. Lower the oven to 350°F.
- 3
Cook the onion in a large skillet over medium heat for 6 minutes, add the garlic for 1 minute, then add the beef and cook 10 minutes, breaking it up, until browned with no pink remaining.
- 4
Pour in the wine and reduce by half, then add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, the 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Simmer 25 minutes, until thick and nearly dry.
- 5
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook 2 minutes. Add the warm milk in a stream, whisking, with the nutmeg, and simmer 6 minutes until thick enough to hold a line on a spoon.
- 6
Off the heat, temper the egg yolks with a ladle of the hot sauce, whisk them in, then stir in two thirds of the cheese.
- 7
Layer half the eggplant in a 9-by-13-inch dish, spread all the meat sauce over it, then the remaining eggplant. Pour the bechamel across the top and scatter the remaining cheese.
- 8
Bake 50 minutes, until the top is set and deeply golden. Rest 25 minutes before cutting so the layers hold their shape.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slabs
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, for the meat sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 3 large egg yolks, beaten
- 5 ounces kefalotyri cheese, grated
Instructions
- 1
Salt the eggplant slabs with the 1 tablespoon salt and drain in a colander for 30 minutes, then blot dry.
- 2
Heat the oven to 400°F. Brush the eggplant with the olive oil, spread it on two sheet pans, and roast 25 minutes, turning once, until soft and browned. Lower the oven to 350°F.
- 3
Cook the onion in a large skillet over medium heat for 6 minutes, add the garlic for 1 minute, then add the beef and cook 10 minutes, breaking it up, until browned with no pink remaining.
- 4
Pour in the wine and reduce by half, then add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, the 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Simmer 25 minutes, until thick and nearly dry.
- 5
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook 2 minutes. Add the warm milk in a stream, whisking, with the nutmeg, and simmer 6 minutes until thick enough to hold a line on a spoon.
- 6
Off the heat, temper the egg yolks with a ladle of the hot sauce, whisk them in, then stir in two thirds of the cheese.
- 7
Layer half the eggplant in a 9-by-13-inch dish, spread all the meat sauce over it, then the remaining eggplant. Pour the bechamel across the top and scatter the remaining cheese.
- 8
Bake 50 minutes, until the top is set and deeply golden. Rest 25 minutes before cutting so the layers hold their shape.