Blue Shutter Taverna · Main dishes

Eggplant & Beef Moussaka with Nutmeg Béchamel

Name: Eggplant & Beef Moussaka with Nutmeg Béchamel
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 whole Eggplants (about 900 g total); 400 g Yukon Gold potatoes; 6 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil; 2.5 tsp Salt; 700 g Lean ground beef; 1 whole Yellow onion; 3 cloves Garlic; 2 tbsp Tomato paste; 0.75 tsp Ground cinnamon; 0.25 tsp Ground allspice; 1 tsp Dried oregano; 125 ml Dry red wine (or stock); 400 g Canned crushed tomatoes; 1 whole Bay leaf; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 10 g Fresh parsley; 60 g Butter; 60 g All-purpose flour; 750 ml Whole milk; 0.25 tsp Ground nutmeg; 60 g Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 2 whole Egg yolks

Layers of olive-oil-roasted eggplant and tender potato under a cinnamon-scented beef and red wine tomato sauce, crowned with a thick nutmeg béchamel and baked until bronzed and bubbling.

165 minutes · Intermediate · 6 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Eggplants (about 900 g total)3 whole
Yukon Gold potatoes400 g
Extra virgin olive oil6 tbsp
Salt2.5 tsp
Lean ground beef700 g
Yellow onion1 whole
Garlic3 cloves
Tomato paste2 tbsp
Ground cinnamon0.75 tsp
Ground allspice0.25 tsp
Dried oregano1 tsp
Dry red wine (or stock)125 ml
Canned crushed tomatoes400 g
Bay leaf1 whole
Black pepper0.5 tsp
Fresh parsley10 g
Butter60 g
All-purpose flour60 g
Whole milk750 ml
Ground nutmeg0.25 tsp
Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese, finely grated60 g
Egg yolks2 whole

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Milk (milk, butter, cheese), wheat (flour) and egg (yolks). Wine contains sulphites.

Method

Roast the vegetables

Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line two large baking sheets with parchment. Cut the eggplants into 1 cm rounds. Peel the potatoes and slice them 5 mm thick. Toss the eggplant with 4 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt, and the potatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt. Spread everything in a single layer and roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until the eggplant is soft and golden and the potatoes are just tender. Lower the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Simmer the meat sauce

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned all over with no pink left; spoon off excess fat. Wash your hands after handling the raw beef. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon, allspice and oregano for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, bay leaf, 3/4 tsp salt, the pepper and 125 ml water. Simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and jammy rather than watery. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the chopped parsley. The long simmer takes the beef well past the 71°C (160°F) safe minimum for ground meat.

Make the béchamel

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes without letting it brown. Gradually whisk in the milk and keep whisking for 6–8 minutes, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily. Take it off the heat and whisk in the nutmeg, half the cheese and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then quickly whisk in the egg yolks.

Layer the dish

Oil a 23 x 33 cm baking dish. Lay the potatoes over the base, then half the eggplant. Spread all of the meat sauce on top and cover with the rest of the eggplant. Pour over the béchamel, smoothing it right to the edges, and scatter with the remaining cheese.

Bake and rest

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45–50 minutes, until the top is deep golden in patches and the edges are bubbling. The centre should read at least 74°C (165°F) on an instant-read thermometer. Rest for 30 minutes before cutting into 6 squares, so the layers hold together.

Do not skip the rest: cut straight from the oven, moussaka slumps across the plate. It is even better made a day ahead. Cool it, refrigerate within 2 hours, and reheat portions to 74°C (165°F). For a meat-free version, swap the beef for 2 cans of drained brown lentils and simmer the sauce for just 15 minutes.

AI-generated food image. Presentation is illustrative. This menu belongs to an imagined restaurant.