Moussaka a la Moi!

Cheap and cheerful moussaka is the perfect meal for a relaxing Friday night dinner (but "never on a Sunday"?). 

Try my version and skip the traditional potato layer. You can even make it the night before you want to eat it - only wait to make the bechamel before popping it in the oven for dinner.

I'll confess, it is a little labourious to put together but it's totally worth it in the end!

This is a super and affordable dinner party idea.  For about $12.00 for this main, add a green salad, some grilled pita, store bought marinated feta, olives and hummus, a great robust red wine and you have a pretty divine dinner party plan. 

Go for an authentic finish with strained Greek yogurt topped with fresh fig segments drizzled with wildflower honey.  How about rounding it out with some Ouzo, Greek coffee and cookies - shortbread ("kouriabiedes") and Aegean biscotti ("voutimata").

Can you spell YUUUUM?

(This serves 4 “regular” eaters as part of a complete meal above)

Here's what you'll need:

 

1 lb extra lean ground beef

2 Asian eggplants (ignore that I only shot one)

 

                                     1/2 C onion, diced 

                            1/2 C tomato sauce
                            6 T dry red wine
                            1/2 t granulated garlic
                            1/2 t cinnamon
                            1/2 t oregano
                            1/2 t dried parsley
                            1/2 t salt
                            1/2 an egg*
                            Olive oil (not shown)

* Beat  2 eggs well.   Set aside 2 T of the egg mix for the 1/2 egg measure above.

                            For the Bechamel:
                            2 T butter or margarine
                            2 T flour
                            1 C milk
                            1 1/2 egg (see * note above)

                            For the finish:
                            1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
                            Cinnamon for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.




 

Cut eggplants into 1/4" diagonal slices, discarding ends

Heat olive oil in frying pan.

Fry eggplant slices in batches until golden on both sides.

Eggplants are like sponges when it comes to oil.

You'll have to replenish the oil as you fry the batches.


Here are the prepared slices. Keep them on standby.

Now make the beef portion of the moussaka.

 

In the same fry pan on medium high heat add 2 T olive oil.

Add the beef, onion and granulated garlic.

Break up the beef and mix through with onion and garlic.

After about 5 minutes,

when onion is tender and meat is fairly brown, drain any fat.

 

Add tomato sauce, wine, parsley, cinnamon, oregano & salt.
Mix together thoroughly. 

Simmer on medium low for 10 minutes.

Add simmered beef mixture into the 1/2 egg
(not the other way around),
and mix well.

Layer bottom of a casserole dish with half the eggplant slices. 

I'm going rogue using a non-traditional oval 9"x 13" dish.

 

Place all the beef mix evenly over the first layer of eggplant.

Top with remaining eggplant.

Make bechamel next.
(Are you exhausted yet?)

 

Melt butter in a saucepan.

Mix in flour to make a roux.

Add a few grindings of black pepper.

 

Add milk...

 

Whisk until it bubbles and then whisk now and again

for about 2 more minutes.

Stir bechamel gradually into the 1 1/2 egg mix

while whisking continually.

Pour bechamel over eggplant layer.

 Sprinkle top with parmesan and some extra cinnamon.

Place into the the preheated oven for 40 minutes. 

Broil for about 5 minutes more or until golden and bubbly.

Watch carefully!

After 45 minutes, this is what delicious looks like!

Let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting.

What a gorgeous piece of Moussaka!

Robustly spiced beef, olive oil kissed eggplant &

 cinnamon scented bechamel.

 

Opa!