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Chefs Binge · Greek · Serves 6 servings

Greek Moussaka Recipe

Greek lamb moussaka: roasted aubergine and fried potato layered with a rich, spiced lamb sauce under a golden bechamel top. A proper make-ahead bake, and even better the next day.
Prep
1 hr
Cook
1 hr
Total
2 hrs
Serves
6 servings
Per serving
536 kcal

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Moussaka Sauce
250 g lamb mince - beef or a plant-based mince can be substituted
2 medium onions - diced
4 garlic cloves - minced
125 ml red wine
4 tbsp tomato purée
1 beef stock cube
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 ground clove
1 ground allspice berry
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredients for the Béchamel Sauce
500 ml milk
70 g butter
70 g plain flour
Pinch of Nutmeg
30 g parmesan cheese - plus 30g for topping
1 egg yolk - optional second yolk for extra richness
Salt and black pepper to taste
Other Ingredients
2 medium-large potatoes - sliced lengthways (about 0.6 cm thick)
2 large aubergines - sliced lengthways
Olive oil
A few tbsp Balsamic glaze - or mix 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar with 1 tsp honey

Equipment

Baking Tray · Hybrid Non Stick Frying Pan · Large Pot · Whisk · Mandoline

Method

1
Preheat the Oven. Preheat your oven to 250°C fan (or 230°C conventional).
2
Season the Aubergine. Slice the aubergine lengthways. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze, and season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
3
Roast the Aubergine. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
4
Brown the Lamb. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan until it’s almost smoking. Add the lamb mince, letting it brown on one side before stirring. Transfer the lamb to a large pot (your 'master pot').
5
Soften the Onions and Garlic. In the same pan, sauté the diced onions until they soften and slightly brown. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes before transferring everything to the master pot.
6
Simmer the Sauce. Add red wine, tomato purée, ground spices, sugar, and the beef stock cube to the master pot. Simmer for at least 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
7
Adjust the Seasoning. Taste and adjust the seasoning, balancing sweetness with a little more sugar or a splash of lemon juice if necessary. Set aside.
8
Fry the Potatoes. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan. Add the potato slices and fry until golden on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. You may need to do this in batches.
9
Warm the Milk. Gently heat the milk in a pan over medium heat.
10
Make the Roux. In a separate pan, melt the butter and stir in the flour to create a roux. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk the roux into the hot milk.
11
Finish the Béchamel. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens. Add the egg yolk (optional: add a second yolk for extra richness), parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and thick.
12
Lower the Oven. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (or 180°C conventional).
13
Layer the Potatoes. In a cast-iron or baking dish, layer the sautéed potatoes, seasoning lightly with salt.
14
Layer the Aubergine and Sauce. Add a layer of aubergine, followed by the Moussaka sauce. Top with another layer of aubergine.
15
Top with Béchamel. Spread the béchamel sauce evenly on top and sprinkle with extra parmesan, oregano, and black pepper.
16
Bake and Rest. Bake for 1 hour. Let the Moussaka rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Chef’s notes

Reduce the lamb sauce until it is thick and jammy, not saucy. A wet sauce is the main cause of a watery moussaka that runs when you cut it.

No need to salt the aubergine. Salting is for frying and for older, bitter aubergines; the fierce high-heat roast collapses the sponge and drives off the water on its own.

Temper the egg yolk. Take the bechamel off the heat and let it cool a minute before whisking in the yolk, or whisk a spoonful of hot sauce into the yolk first, so it does not curdle into grains.

Rest it 10 minutes before cutting. The bechamel and layers need that time to set; cut too soon and it slumps into a puddle.

Per serving  Calories 536 kcal · Protein 22 g · Carbs 40 g · Fat 30.5 g · Saturates 14 g · Fibre 6.1 g · Sugar 8 g · Sodium 105 mg
Recipe © Chef Łukasz Babral · chefsbinge.com · for personal use only
chefsbinge.com/greek-moussaka-recipe
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