Traditional Moussaka Recipe

Prepare potatoes

Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Peel potatoes and slice into 5 mm (1/4 inch) rounds. Toss slices lightly with a pinch of salt and 1 tbs olive oil. Arrange on a baking tray in a single layer and roast for 15–20 minutes until just tender and lightly colored. Remove and set aside.

Prepare eggplants

Trim eggplants and slice lengthwise into 5–7 mm (1/4–1/3 inch) slices. Lightly salt both sides and let sit in a colander for 20–30 minutes to draw out bitterness. Rinse and pat dry. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with 1–2 tbs olive oil and fry eggplant slices in batches until golden and soft, adding more oil as needed, 2–3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Mince aromatics

Peel and finely chop the onions and mince the garlic. Keep ready for the meat sauce.

Heat 3 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add ground meat and increase heat to medium-high. Break the meat with a spoon and brown thoroughly, about 8–10 minutes, until no pink remains.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to remove raw taste. Pour in red wine (if using) and let it reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, salt, pepper and sugar (if using). Bring to a simmer, lower heat and cook gently for 15–20 minutes until sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.

Warm the milk in a saucepan until just below simmering; keep warm. In a heavy saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly to form a smooth roux; cook 1–2 minutes without browning.

Gradually whisk in warm milk, a ladle at a time, ensuring a smooth sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 6–8 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in grated nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Temper the egg yolks: whisk yolks in a small bowl and add 2–3 tbs of hot béchamel to the yolks while whisking, then stir the tempered yolks back into the béchamel. Stir in 50 g of the grated Parmesan, reserving the rest for topping. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk to reach a pourable but thick consistency.

Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F) if not already at that temperature. Grease a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish with 1 tbs butter and sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly on the base (optional) to help absorb moisture.

Layering: Spread half of the roasted potato slices in a single layer to cover the base. Add a layer of about half the fried eggplant slices. Spoon all of the meat sauce evenly over the vegetables and spread to an even layer. Top meat sauce with the remaining eggplant slices, then arrange remaining potato slices on top as needed to make an even surface.

Pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the assembled layers, using a spatula to smooth and ensure it seeps between gaps. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan evenly over the béchamel. Dot with a little extra butter if desired.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbling. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes — this helps the moussaka set for clean slices. Serve warm, cut into squares.