Moussaka — Layered Eggplant and Lamb Casserole

Greece's most famous casserole — layers of browned eggplant, spiced lamb meat sauce, and a cloud of
béchamel, baked until deeply golden. Each layer is prepared separately and assembled at the end.
Ambitious but not difficult, and arguably one of the finest composed dishes in Mediterranean cooking.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (lamb, butter, milk, eggs, cheese)

SERVINGS: 8
TIME: 2 hours 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the eggplant:
- 1.5 kg eggplant, sliced into 1 cm rounds
- 200 ml olive oil
- Salt

For the meat sauce:
- 800 g ground lamb (or mixed lamb and beef)
- 2 large onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (400 g) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 150 ml dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper

For the béchamel:
- 100 g butter
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 1 litre whole milk, warmed
- 4 egg yolks, whisked
- 100 g kefalotyri or Parmesan, grated
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and white pepper

For assembly:
- 3 medium potatoes, thinly sliced (optional bottom layer)
- 100 g kefalotyri or Parmesan, grated, for topping
- Olive oil for greasing

METHOD:
1. Salt the eggplant slices generously. Let drain in a colander 30 minutes. Pat very dry.
2. Brush eggplant with olive oil and bake in a 220C (425F) oven for 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until deeply golden. (Alternatively, fry in a skillet, but baking is lighter.)
3. Make meat sauce: heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onions 7 minutes until soft. Add lamb and brown, breaking it up, about 10 minutes.
4. Add garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon, allspice, and oregano. Cook 2 minutes.
5. Add red wine, crushed tomatoes, and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes until thickened. Remove bay leaves. Season generously with salt and pepper.
6. Make béchamel: melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in warm milk. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 8 minutes. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.
7. Remove béchamel from heat. Temper the egg yolks: whisk 100 ml of hot béchamel into the yolks, then return everything to the pot. Stir in grated cheese.
8. Assemble: grease a 23×33 cm baking dish. If using potatoes, layer on the bottom. Top with half the eggplant. Top with all the meat sauce. Top with remaining eggplant. Pour béchamel evenly over and smooth the top. Sprinkle with extra grated cheese.
9. Bake at 180C (350F) for 45-55 minutes until deep golden and bubbling.
10. REST for at least 30 minutes before cutting. This is non-negotiable — moussaka cut straight from the oven falls apart.

NOTES:
- Moussaka is actually BETTER after resting overnight and being reheated. The layers firm up and flavours meld.
- Greek cinnamon and allspice in the meat sauce are signature. Do not omit.
- Some cooks add a layer of sliced potatoes at the bottom (as noted) — this makes the moussaka more substantial and is very common.
- Kefalotyri cheese is the most authentic Greek choice. Pecorino or Parmesan are acceptable substitutes.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 640 | Protein: 34 g | Carbohydrates: 36 g | Fat: 40 g | Fibre: 6 g