Food By Maria

Instructions

 

Prepare the eggplant and potatoes

Preheat the oven to 375F. Generously grease 2 large non stick sheet pans with olive oil. Set aside.

Prepare the eggplant: Slice the eggplant into 1/3 inch slices. Put the slices in a large bowl with a big pinch of salt and let sit for 10 minutes.

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While the eggplant sits, prepare the potatoes. Peel and then cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Place the potato slices on one of the prepared sheet pans (or two if needed) and only slightly overlap them. Drizzle generously with olive oil and and an even layer of salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.

Once the eggplant slices have sat in the water for 10 minutes, drain and gently pat dry. Add the eggplant slices to the other oiled sheet pan, the slices can just overlap. Drizzle generously with olive oil and and an even layer of salt and pepper. Once the potatoes have been in the oven for 15 minutes, add the eggplant to the oven and bake everything for 35-40 more minutes until the eggplant is golden brown.

Remove the potatoes and eggplant from the oven and set aside.

Make the meat sauce

While the potatoes and eggplant are baking, make the meat sauce.

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Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions, beef and garlic. Break up the beef with a spoon into small pieces and cook with the lid on, stirring every 3 minutes, until there are no juices left, about 12-15 minutes.

Pour in the red wine to deglaze. Cook for a few minutes with the lid off until most of the wine has evaporated.

Stir in the spices and bay leaves. Stir in the diced or whole tomatoes (if using whole tomatoes crush them up a bit when added to the pot), sugar, tomato paste and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once simmering, turn to medium low and simmer with the lid on until the sauce has cooked down and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the bay leaves and set aside.

Make the bechamel

Whisk together the 2 eggs in a bowl and set aside.

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To a medium-sized pot add 6 cups milk. Turn to medium-high heat to warm. Once the milk is warm, turn to medium heat.

Start by whisking the flour in 3 parts (2 tbsp, 2 tbsp, 3 tbsp), constantly whisking after each addition of flour to fully combine. Once the flour is whisked in, add the butter and continue to whisk until the butter is melted and combined into the bechamel. Add in the salt, pepper and 1/4tsp + 1/8tsp ground nutmeg. Continue to whisk to ensure the sauce doesn't get lumpy.

Continue to cook the sauce, whisking as you go until it's smooth and has a similar consistency to a cheese sauce. If needed, whisk in an additional 1 tbsp flour to help create the thicker consistency. Once you reach that cheese sauce consistency, remove the pot from the heat.

Whisk in the grated parmesan cheese.

Finally slowly whisk in the whisked eggs, whisking quickly to combine and making sure the sauce doesn't get lumpy. When ready, set the bechamel aside.

Assemble the moussaka

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease an 9×13 baking dish with olive oil.

Layer all of the cooked potato slices on the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping as you go until you have used all of the potato slices.

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Next layer all of the cooked eggplant slices, overlapping as you go until you have used all of the eggplant. Sprinkle 2 tbsp parmesan cheese over the eggplant layer.

Pour in all of the meat sauce and spread evenly.

Pour the bechamel on top of the meat sauce and spread is into an even layer.

Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake in the middle of the oven until the top turns golden brown, about 40-45 minutes. Start checking around the 35 minute mark as all ovens cook differently.

Remove from the oven and let cool at least an hour until it's just warm, this will allow the bechamel layer to be fully set and stay together when you cut through the moussaka.

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