Moussaka In Greek – See How To Prepare It

In the wonderful world created by Greek culinary art, there is an exceptionally tasty dish that is worth including in our menu: moussaka or μουσακάς (mousakas). It has some resemblance to Italian lasagna, although only three layers of ingredients are placed for moussaka.

However, the most striking feature of this dish is the use of a very typical vegetable in Greece: eggplant.

In general, Greek moussaka is served at lunchtime, either as a single main course or as a side dish. In any case, it is a very nutritious and tasty meal that will undoubtedly satisfy us, and also provide us with a large portion of energy for the rest of the day.

Greek Moussaka

The recipe below is intended for approximately four to six people. However, in the event that the number of guests is greater, we will have to make the necessary changes to the quantities of the ingredients.

What we should first of all increase is the use of olive oil and spices, which we will write about in a moment, because they give the moussaka such a distinctive taste.

Ingredients for the base

• olive oil
• Red vinegar
• 1 small onion
• ½ kilogram of eggplant
• 1 tablespoon of oregano (15 g)
• Chopped lamb meat (400 g)
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (20 g)
• 3 tablespoons of white wine (45 ml)
• 1 ½ tablespoon of grated Parmesan (30 g)
• Spices: coarse sea salt

Ingredients for the béchamel sauce

• 2 cups of milk (500 ml)
• 2 tablespoons of margarine or butter (40 g)
• ½ cup of flour (60 g)
• Spices: fine salt, black pepper, nutmeg

Preparation of béchamel

1. In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine. When it is liquid enough, add the flour and mix well with slow and circular motions. The flour has to be toasted during this process.
2. Separately, heat the milk in a pot over medium heat. When you reach the boiling point, put out the fire.
3. Then add the milk to the mixture of flour and butter. We keep stirring the sauce, taking care not to get lumps.
4. Cook for 5 minutes until the béchamel is creamy enough. Then turn off and lightly season to taste with a little salt, freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg.

Moussaka – preparing ingredients for layers

1. First, wash and cut the eggplants into thin slices (half a centimeter). Then put them in a container and sprinkle them with coarse sea salt. Set aside for one hour.
2. About five minutes into the hour, place the pan on the stove to warm it over medium heat.
3. Dry the eggplants with a sheet of tissue or absorbent paper and fry them in plenty of oil. They should be golden brown on both sides.
4. After preparation, drain the eggplants well from the fat, then set aside on a plate.
5. Meanwhile, marinate the lamb meat in a mixture of plenty of vinegar, roasted nuts and olive oil.
6. Separately, peel and chop the onion, then fry it in a pan with two tablespoons of tomato sauce. Once cooked, add a little white wine and oregano.
7. The sauce should cook for about half an hour.
8. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 ° C.
9. In another pan, fry the lamb meat until medium well done. After preparation, set aside as well.
10. Once we have the sauce, salt it and add a little freshly ground black pepper. We mix the whole thing with circular movements.
11. Finally, pour the tomato sauce over the meat and mix. Do the same with the onion as well.

Laying layers

1. Brush the pan with a little olive oil. Then sprinkle the breadcrumbs all over the mold to finally start arranging the fried eggplants.
2. Put a layer of meat on the eggplants and then a layer of Béchamel sauce. We do this until we get 3 layers. The final layer, however, should be Béchamel sauce.
3. We put the dish in the oven for about 30 or 40 minutes. During this time, the moussaka will bake well and will have a slightly golden, brown and very appetizing surface.

It should be noted that moussaka can be prepared in many different ways, as each person includes their favorite ingredients or tricks in the recipe. The important thing, however, is to follow the seasoning method strictly.

This blend of Mediterranean ingredients with oriental influences gives a very rich and one-of-a-kind flavor that cannot be imitated. Enjoy your meal!