Mousaka Croquette Recipe

Sauté aromatics

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Brown meat

Increase heat to medium-high, add the ground lamb and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary, leaving a little for flavor.

Simmer sauce

Stir in 2 tbs tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes and red wine (if using). Season with cinnamon, oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook gently, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes until thickened. Stir in chopped parsley, remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning. Cool slightly.

Prepare vegetables

Salt eggplant rounds lightly on both sides and let sit on a wire rack or paper towels for 20 minutes to draw out bitterness. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Brush both eggplant and zucchini rounds lightly with olive oil (about 2 tbs total).

Roast or pan-sear

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) if roasting. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast 12–15 minutes, flipping once, until tender and lightly browned. Alternatively, pan-sear in a skillet over medium-high heat 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Let cool.

Make roux

In a medium saucepan melt 50 g butter over medium heat. Add 50 g flour and whisk constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour, forming a pale roux.

Add milk and season

Slowly whisk in warmed milk (500 ml) a little at a time to avoid lumps. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens to a smooth, thick but pourable consistency, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

Enrich

Temper the egg yolk by whisking a small ladle of hot béchamel into it, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the sauce. Stir in 50 g grated cheese until melted and smooth. Let the béchamel cool until just warm so it will hold shape when mixed with the filling.

Chop or roughly pulse the roasted vegetables into small 1 cm pieces. In a mixing bowl combine the cooled meat mixture with the chopped vegetables. Fold in enough béchamel (about 250–300 ml) to make a thick, cohesive mixture that can be formed by hand—mixture should hold together but not be soupy. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Place mixture into refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to firm slightly; this makes shaping easier.

Shape

Using wet hands, shape the chilled mixture into croquettes about 6–7 cm long and 3–4 cm wide (oval/football shapes) or into small patties, depending on preference. Pack firmly so they hold shape.

Dredge

Set up a breading station: flour in one shallow dish, beaten eggs in another, breadcrumbs in a third. Lightly dredge each croquette in flour, shake off excess, dip into beaten egg, then coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs. For extra crispness, double-dip (egg and breadcrumbs again). Place finished croquettes on a tray and chill for 10 minutes to set the coating.

Fry

Pour vegetable oil into a deep skillet or saucepan to a depth of about 2–3 cm and heat to 175°C (350°F). Fry croquettes in batches, careful not to overcrowd, turning occasionally until golden brown and heated through, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.

Serve

Arrange croquettes on a platter, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing. Optionally serve with tzatziki or a simple yogurt-garlic dip on the side.