Moussaka Recipe

Prepare meat sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté 5–7 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high, add organic ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and optional red wine, then add dried oregano, ground cinnamon, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, 20–25 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm.

Prepare eggplant

Trim eggplants and slice into 1/3-inch rounds. Lay slices on a rack or baking sheet, sprinkle both sides lightly with the 1 tablespoon kosher salt and let sweat for 20–30 minutes to draw out bitterness. After sweating, rinse slices under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with towels.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange eggplant slices on baking sheets, brush both sides with 1–2 tablespoons olive oil, and roast 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and tender. Remove and lower oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) for later baking.

Prepare potatoes

While eggplant sweats, scrub and slice yukon gold potatoes into 1/4-inch rounds. Place in a pot of salted water, bring to a boil and simmer 6–8 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Drain and pat dry. Optionally toss lightly with a little oil and roast 8–10 minutes at 425°F until edges just begin to color, or sauté in a skillet until lightly golden.

Make béchamel

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in 4 tablespoons flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1–2 minutes to form a blond roux (do not brown). Gradually whisk in warmed milk, a ladle at a time, whisking to remove lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer; cook, whisking, until thickened to a sauce that coats the back of a spoon, about 6–8 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Temper the 2 egg yolks by whisking a small amount of hot béchamel into the yolks, then whisking the yolk mixture back into the sauce. Stir in crumbled feta and half of the parmesan (reserve remaining parmesan for topping). Taste and adjust seasoning.

Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C) if not already. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch (or similar) baking dish. Arrange a single even layer of par-cooked potato slices on the bottom of the dish to form a base.

Spread half of the meat tomato sauce over the potato layer. Next arrange a layer of roasted eggplant slices to cover the meat. Add the remaining meat sauce over the eggplant and top with a final layer of eggplant (or finish with potatoes if you prefer a potato top). Smooth béchamel over the top so it covers the filling evenly. Sprinkle remaining parmesan evenly over the béchamel.

Bake uncovered at 375°F (190°C) for 35–45 minutes until bubbly and the top is golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil. Let moussaka rest 15–20 minutes before slicing so it sets and holds together.

While moussaka bakes, combine chopped tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, and kalamata olives in a bowl. Add crumbled feta for the salad.

Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss dressing with salad just before serving.