Greek Moussaka

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 egg yolks

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices.
2. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and arrange on baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown ground lamb, breaking it apart as it cooks, about 5 minutes.
4. Add diced onion and garlic to lamb, cook for 3 minutes until fragrant.
5. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, red wine, oregano, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
6. Simmer meat sauce for 15-20 minutes until thickened. Set aside.
7. Prepare béchamel sauce by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour to create a roux, cook for 1 minute.
8. Gradually add milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook for 8-10 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
9. Remove béchamel from heat. Whisk in nutmeg, salt, pepper, and half the Parmesan cheese.
10. In a small bowl, temper egg yolks by slowly whisking in 1/4 cup of warm béchamel, then add egg mixture back into sauce, stirring constantly.
11. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer half the eggplant slices on the bottom.
12. Spread half the meat sauce over eggplant layer. Add remaining eggplant slices.
13. Spread remaining meat sauce over eggplant. Pour béchamel sauce evenly over top.
14. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over béchamel layer.
15. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and bubbling at the edges.
16. Let moussaka rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow layers to set.

Notes

• Use a mandoline slicer for uniform eggplant thickness to ensure even cooking.
• Salt eggplant slices and let sit for 15 minutes before cooking to reduce bitterness and excess moisture.
• Make both the meat sauce and béchamel ahead of time; they can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days.
• Temper egg yolks slowly to prevent scrambling when adding to hot béchamel sauce.
• Moussaka can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated before baking; add 10-15 minutes to baking time if baking from cold.
• A deep baking dish works better than a shallow one to accommodate all layers properly.
• Let the finished moussaka rest before cutting to allow layers to set and make serving easier.
• Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 4 days and can be reheated in a 350°F oven covered with foil.