Eggplant moussaka is an authentic and popular dish from Greece that can be a suitable option for parties and gatherings. This dish is prepared with a clever combination of crispy layers of potatoes, tender eggplants, rich meat sauce, and creamy béchamel sauce, and is finally baked with a layer of golden cheese in the oven.
Ingredients for Making Eggplant Moussaka
To make eggplant moussaka, you will need the following ingredients:
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- Ground meat: 250 grams
- Large eggplants: 3 pieces
- Large potatoes: 2 pieces
- Mushrooms: 300 grams
- Crushed tomatoes: 2 pieces
- Chopped onion: 1 piece
- Warm milk: 3 cups
- Butter: 50 grams
- Baking flour: 1.4 cups
- Mozzarella cheese: 200 grams
- Parmesan cheese: 50 grams
- Egg yolks: 2 pieces
- Tomato paste: 1.5 tablespoons
- Crushed garlic: 2 cloves
- Oil: as needed
- Spices (paprika, turmeric, curry powder, thyme, salt): as needed
Method for Making Eggplant Moussaka
First, slice the eggplants into 1 cm thick rounds and sprinkle salt on them to remove their bitterness. Then wash them with warm water and dry them with a towel. Fry the eggplants in oil and place them on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.
Slice the potatoes into 0.5 cm thick rounds, wash them with cold water, and fry them in oil. Also, slice the mushrooms into 0.5 cm thick pieces and fry them in a little oil.
Chop the onion finely and sauté it in oil until golden, then add the ground meat and sauté until it changes color. Next, add the tomato paste, crushed garlic, and spices, and sauté for a bit. Finally, add the crushed tomatoes and remove from heat after the water evaporates.
To make the béchamel sauce, sauté the flour over low heat, then gradually add the butter and warm milk. Finally, add salt, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese, and then add the egg yolks.
In a baking dish, cover the first layer with the fried potatoes, then layer the eggplants, meat sauce, and mushrooms in order. Finally, cover the entire surface of the dish with béchamel sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Place the dish in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes, and turn on the oven grill in the last few minutes.
Let the moussaka rest for 5 to 10 minutes after removing it from the oven so that the layers stick together and it does not fall apart when cutting.
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