Lamb Moussaka Recipe

Prepare eggplants

Slice eggplants into 1/3-inch rounds. Lay out on a wire rack or baking sheets and sprinkle both sides lightly with 2 tsp kosher salt. Let sweat 30 minutes to remove bitterness, then rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Cook eggplants

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) or heat a large skillet over medium-high. Brush eggplant slices lightly with olive oil (about 2 tbs). Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and roast 15–20 minutes, flipping once, until golden and softened. Alternatively, pan-fry slices in 1–2 tbs olive oil in batches until golden, drain on paper towels. If using potatoes, parboil or roast thin slices until tender and set aside.

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground lamb and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 8–10 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary, leaving a tablespoon for flavor.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to caramelize. Add crushed tomatoes, red wine, and stock. Add cinnamon stick, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30–40 minutes until sauce thickens and flavors concentrate. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir in chopped parsley and adjust seasoning to taste. Let sauce cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) if not already heated for roasting. In a medium saucepan, melt 6 tbs unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 6 tbs flour and whisk continuously to form a smooth roux; cook 1–2 minutes without browning.

Gradually whisk in warm milk, a little at a time, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 6–8 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in grated nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Temper the 3 egg yolks by whisking a small ladle of hot béchamel into the yolks, then whisk yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Stir in 1 cup grated Parmesan until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Lightly oil a 9x13-inch (or similar) baking dish with 1 tbs olive oil. Layer the bottom with half of the roasted eggplant slices (and potato slices if using), overlapping slightly.

Spoon and spread all of the lamb meat sauce evenly over the eggplant layer.

Top with the remaining eggplant slices to cover the meat sauce.

Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the top, smoothing with a spatula. Sprinkle extra 2 tbs grated Parmesan over the béchamel.

Bake in preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 40–50 minutes, until the top is set and golden brown. If top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest at least 20 minutes before cutting. This helps the layers set and makes slicing cleaner. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.