Traditional greek moussaka recipe

Peel, rinse and cut into pieces the onions, if you want to add carrots (not provided for in the original recipe) do the same with these vegetables.

You can use a minced mixture of lamb, pork and veal (as they do in Greece). Or use a minced veal only, or a minced meat consisting of veal and pork. Choose the option that is easiest to find.

Let the meat brown well, add the turmeric and cinnamon, add the white wine, season with salt and after all the liquids have absorbed, add the tomato puree and a little water. Cook over very low heat for 45 minutes, if the liquids were to dry completely, adjust with a little more water, in any case at the end of cooking you will have to get a thick and creamy sauce.

Cut the potatoes into slices not too thin, rinse them abundantly under running water, pat them with a cloth and fry in hot oil. Drain, place on paper towels and set aside.

For the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a pan and add the flour, let it brown, thus obtaining what the French call roux.

When the flour is colored, remove from heat and begin to pour the milk stirring quickly trying to dissolve the lumps that will tend to form.

While adding all the milk flush, mix with a whisk quickly. After pouring the liquid, put it back on the fire and bring to a boil without stopping stirring.

As soon as the béchamel thickens, add a pinch of nutmeg, remove from heat and pour into a bowl.

To prepare the eggplants, wash them, remove the stem and slice them into slices a 2\3 of an inch.

Arrange them in a colander (unfortunately the photo of the passage is missing) alternating with a sprinkling of salt.

Let them rest an hour, they will drain the water of vegetation, then rinse them abundantly under running water, buffer them with a cloth and fry them in abundant extra virgin olive oil.

After all these preparations, we just have to assemble the pie: arrange all the fried potatoes in a baking dish, and then make a layer with 1/3 of the eggplant.

Sprinkle with cheese and make a layer of meat sauce.

Create one more layer of eggplant, one layer of grated cheese and one layer of meat sauce.

Finish with the last eggplant, pour an abundant layer of bechamel sauce, another bit of cheese and finish by passing everything in a ventilated or static oven at 355 ºF for 20-25 minutes, or until you get the desired browning.

Remove from the oven and let cool before serving, however, the moussaka can be enjoyed even at room temperatures

Store the leftover part well-sealed in a refrigerator in an airtight container for two or three days and heat before consuming.

If you liked this recipe, check this one out:

–Greek Pita bread recipe