📍 Atenas

Moussaka

· Lunch

Layers of eggplant and lamb with tomato, topped with béchamel and browned cheese.

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Moussaka: Layers of eggplant and lamb with tomato, topped with béchamel and browned cheese.
Photo: Cifo Buscemi · CC BY 3.0 · via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
⏱ 120 min🍽 8 servings📊 Intermediate🏷 Commonly associated
Preparation
35 min
Cooking
70 min
Waiting and resting
15 min

History

Moussaka has many eastern Mediterranean variations. This baked béchamel version is associated with modern Greek cooking.

Ingredients

Adjust quantities

Only numeric quantities at the start of an ingredient are adjusted. Descriptive quantities, seasoning to taste and timings remain unchanged; check them when changing servings.

Preparation

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 200 °C. Brush eggplant with half the oil and bake 20-25 minutes, turning halfway.

  2. 2

    Sauté onion in remaining oil. Add and break up lamb, then add tomato, cinnamon, salt and pepper; cook 20 minutes.

  3. 3

    Melt butter, add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk until thickened, then add nutmeg and half the cheese.

  4. 4

    Layer eggplant and meat in a baking dish. Cover with béchamel and remaining cheese.

  5. 5

    Bake at 180 °C for 35-40 minutes until golden and at 74 °C in the center. Rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Cooking tips

  • Rest before cutting so the layers hold their shape.

References to consult

References provide information about the dish, its context or a technique. Quantities in this version may differ from those in the source.

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