Eggplant Casserole (Moussaka)

Moussaka dinner with Yia Yia Soula (99 years young) and Chloe.

Moussaka may take some time to make, but well worth the effort. Next time, I will make the eggplant casserole with the meat sauce the day before serving. Then make the béchamel sauce and bake it on the day of serving.  (MEK)

 

Picture by Chloe

Baking caramelizes the eggplant exuding a sweet, wonderful taste. Boling down the meat mixture makes it less soupy. I will, also, make this the day before (MEK)

Picture by Chloe

Picture by Chloe

Picture by Chloe

Pre-mix bechamel powder - just add milk and mix. I learned about the box mix many years ago when I asked my local Greek store how to make the bechamel sauce and they showed me their secret - they use a premix. It tastes very good, but not as good as the homemade béchamel sauce made at George's Greek on Second, a fantastic Greek café in Long Beach, CA or of course, your own homemade béchamel sauce.(MEK)

Pre-mix box- follow directions and add milk

Home-made Bechamel Sauce

The best eggplant is one that you grow or buy from your local farmer's market or even Trader Joe's. If the eggplant has black seeds, it is on the older side and may be bitter. I usually use the purple eggplant found in most grocery stores and is known as the Globe or American eggplant. It has the big purple bulb or globe and is about 8 inches. (MEK)

Eggplant Casserole (Moussaka)

Moussaka is a well-known Greek dish with layers of eggplant. The famous Greek Chef, Nikolaos Tselementes, glorified Moussaka in the 1920’s by adding a béchamel sauce topping. Moussaka is widely considered a national dish in Greece

Cook time: 1-2 hours

Prep: 1-2 hours

Serves: 8

 

Eggplant Ingredients (may make a day in advance)

 

3 -4 medium globe eggplants, sliced Salt and black pepper	Olive oil

Cut globe or American purple eggplants, with skin on, into about 1-inch slices. Place in a colander, sprinkle with salt and drain for about 30 minutes. Rinse eggplants after draining and pat dry with a paper towel. Place eggplant on a baking sheet covered with foil, brush both sides of eggplants with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake at 450⁰F for 30 minutes until golden brown turning them over half-way through the baking. Set aside eggplant and prepare potatoes.

Potato Ingredients (may make a day in advance)

 

1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil plus 2 teaspoons

Clean and slice potatoes ¼ inch thick. Place in bowl and mix in salt, pepper and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Cover with microwave safe plate or damp paper towel and microwave for 8 minutes. Remove from microwave, check for doneness and place in a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish brushed with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Let cool (about 15 minutes)

 

Meat Sauce Ingredients (may make a day in advance)

1 onion, chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 pound 80% lean ground beef

1/2 cup red wine plus 2 teaspoons 2 teaspoons oregano 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 14 ½ ounce can crushed tomatoes 2 fresh bay leaves

Heat 1 tablespoon olive and sauté onions with ½ teaspoon of salt until softened and slightly brown in a large casserole pan. Sauté garlic with onions for about a minute. Add tomato paste and mix for about a minute until dry looking. Stir in ½ cup red wine. Mix in oregano and cinnamon. Mix and reduce down liquid (2 minutes). Brown meat on medium-low heat (5 minutes). Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and mix well. bring to a boil and turn heat down to simmer for about 8-10 minutes until most of juice is reduced until it becomes a dry sauce. Mix in 2 teaspoons of red wine. Remove bay leaves when done.

Spray 9x13-inch pan with non-stick baking spray. Layer half of the eggplant in the casserole with the potatoes. Add half of the meat sauce and sprinkle 3 tablespoons grated hard cheese on top; repeat layering. Set aside and make béchamel sauce.

 

Béchamel Sauce Ingredients

 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter	2 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons flour	Salt & pepper, 1/8 teaspoon each
2 cups whole milk	1 cup hard grated cheese*

 

Melt butter over low heat and add flour, salt and pepper until completely mixed; cook mixture for 2 minutes. Stir frequently and make sure flour is completely covered with butter to prevent lumps. Slowly add all the warmed milk to the butter/flour mixture at a slightly increased temperature (heat milk in microwave to about room temperature) and continue whisking until slightly thickened. Mix in cheese. Add beaten eggs slowly to mixture, stirring constantly.

 

*May use grated parmesan or mizithra cheese grated hard cheese*

Final Steps

 

Smooth béchamel sauce on top of previously prepared casserole with eggplant/potatoes/meat. Sprinkle top with reserved hard grated cheese. Bake at 350⁰F for about an hour until golden brown. Let moussaka rest for about 45 – 1 hour before cutting and serving. It is even better tasting the next day.

Tips

1. Salting the eggplants draws out the moisture allowing the eggplant to be more crispy on the outside while being more tender on the inside.

2.  I typically peel my eggplants, but you do not have to. The skin on the Globe eggplant tends to be tough and chewy. 

3.  When cooking potatoes in the microwave, you should place a microwave dish or damp towel on top to trap steam, creating a moist environment that cooks them faster and more evenly, preventing them from drying out and becoming tough. Once cooked, test with a sharp knife to see if they are soft enough.

4. May freeze moussaka, cooked or non-cooked for 3-6 months. Wrap tighly with plastic wrap and foil. Can cook directly from the freezer (make take longer) or after defrosting in the refrigerator overnight.
5. Some like to add pepper flakes and paprika.