Greek Comfort Food: Moussaka

Greek Comfort Food: Moussaka

Moussaka is a beloved Greek dish, known for its rich layers of eggplant, spiced meat sauce, and creamy béchamel. It’s a hearty, flavorful meal perfect for gatherings or a comforting dinner.

Ingredients

✔ For the Meat Sauce:

• 500g ground beef or lamb

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

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• 400g canned tomatoes, crushed

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• 1 tsp dried oregano

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• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tbsp olive oil

✔ For the Eggplant Layers:

• 2 large eggplants, sliced

• Salt, for sprinkling

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• Olive oil, for frying

✔ For the Béchamel Sauce:

• 4 tbsp butter

• 4 tbsp flour

• 500ml milk

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• 1 egg yolk

• 50g grated Parmesan cheese

• Salt and nutmeg to taste

Instructions

1️⃣ Prepare the Eggplants: Sprinkle salt over the eggplant slices and let them sit for 30 minutes. Pat dry, then pan-fry or bake until golden.

2️⃣ Make the Meat Sauce: Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil, add the ground meat, and cook until browned. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes.

3️⃣ Prepare the Béchamel Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat, mix in cheese, salt, nutmeg, and egg yolk.

4️⃣ Assemble the Moussaka: Layer half of the eggplant slices in a baking dish, spread the meat sauce, add the remaining eggplant, and top with béchamel.

5️⃣ Bake: Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45 minutes until golden and bubbly. Let it rest before serving.

💙 Enjoy this classic Greek comfort food with a side salad or crusty bread! 🍆🥘 #GreekCuisine