“During lockdown, we stayed connected by cooking one of Greece’s most beloved dishes: moussaka. Together with my colleague Tassia, our virtual cooking sessions turned distance into togetherness. It was a joyful reminder that food not only brings back memories but also creates new ones.”
by Phaedra Dimena, Sales Manager in our Greece office
Layered with flavor and history, this Greek moussaka is comfort food at its finest.
Moussaka is one of Greece’s most beloved comfort foods, featuring layers of potatoes, eggplant and spiced minced meat, topped with a creamy béchamel. Seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, it’s a warming dish with plenty of flavour. Though strongly associated with Greece, moussaka is believed to have originated in the Levant, where similar layered dishes were first made. Earlier dishes from this region inspired the Greek version, which was refined by the addition of béchamel sauce in the early 20th century.
For the best results, simmer the meat for 25–30 minutes until the juices are absorbed and only the oil remains. Instead of deep-frying the eggplant and zucchini, try roasting them in the oven for a lighter, less oily texture. For the béchamel sauce, cheeses like cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan work well, but kefalotyri, a hard salty Greek cheese made from sheep’s or goat’s milk, provides the most authentic flavor. Once baked, let the moussaka rest for about 30 minutes before serving to allow the layers to firm up for clean, even slices.
As they say in Greece, ‘Kali Orexi!’: Enjoy your meal!
Main Dish
Beef
Preparation time: 90 min
Ingredients:
- 1 kg eggplants
- 1 kg potatoes
- 1 kg medium zucchinis (optional)
- 1 cup grated (kefalotyri) cheese
- 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, freshly ground pepper
For the ground meat sauce:
- 750 gr of ground beef (or 500 gr of ground beef plus 250 gr of ground pork)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 chopped onions
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 6-7 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
- 400 gr of fresh tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 1 cup of wine
- 1 pinch of sugar
- 1/4 tsp sweet cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup of water or milk
For the béchamel sauce:
- 1 1/2 litres of fresh milk
- 12 tbs flour
- 5 tbs butter
- 5 fresh eggs
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- Salt, freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup grated (kefalotyri) cheese
Preparation:
For the minced meat filling:
In a wide low pot or pan heat the olive oil and sauté the minced meat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring it only occasionally. Brown on all sides, until there are no liquids left. Then add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté for a further 3–5 minutes, until they become translucent. Add the wine, and, once the alcohol has evaporated, add the tomatoes, the tomato paste, parsley, sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Finish with water or milk (whatever you prefer). Cover the pot and simmer for about 25–30 minutes, until the meat has absobed all the liquid.
Meanwhile, wash, peel and cut the potatoes lengthwise into 1 cm thick slices. Season with salt, fry the potatoes in plenty of oil, then place them on absorbent paper when you take them out of the pan. Repeat the same process with the eggplants (and zucchinis, if desired). Alternatively, you can roast the eggplants, zucchinis and potatoes instead of deep-frying them. If so, spread the slices on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season, then bake them in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 10–15 minutes until half-cooked (they will soften and turn slightly brown).
For the béchamel sauce:
Heat some of the milk in a small pot and whisk in the flour. Do not let it come to a boil. Gradually pour in the remaining milk, the lightly beaten eggs, butter, ground nutmeg, pepper and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring the sauce constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until it thickens and begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the cheese. Then, stir two tablespoons of the béchamel into the ground meat sauce.
Assembly:
Grease a deep baking dish and sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs. Put one layer of potatoes to cover the base of the baking pan, then add a layer using half of the eggplant (and zucchini) slices on top, and sprinkle with half of the kefalotyri cheese. Spread half of the ground meat sauce and top with the remaining eggplant, cheese and ground meat in alternating layers. Finish by pouring the béchamel cream over everything. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (355°F) and cook on the lower rack for about 50–60 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool before cutting into pieces and serving. Ideally, it is served lukewarm.
‘Kali Orexi!’ (Enjoy your meal! / Bon Appétit!)
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