Authentic Greek Moussaka with Creamy Béchamel

Ingredients

For the Veggie Layers

5 large eggplants
10 large Yukon Gold potatoes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (See Notes)
kosher salt

For the Meat Sauce

3 lbs ground beef
6 tbsp salted butter
4 cups diced onion
3 tbsp minced garlic
3 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp salt
1½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp white sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups red wine
2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can tomato sauce
3 bay leaves

For the Bechamel Sauce

10 tbsp salted butter
10 tbsp flour
5 cups whole milk
1½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tsp salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp white pepper
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

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Instructions

Baking the Veggie Layers

Preheat your oven to 425℉.
Remove the ends of the eggplants, and cut into ½-inch thick slices (See Notes). Don't slice them too thin as they shrink during the cooking process.
5 large eggplants
Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with kosher salt, and place in a colander to drain for 30 minutes.
kosher salt
While you wait for the eggplants to drain, peel the potatoes and cut into ¼ inch thick slices.
10 large Yukon Gold potatoes
Brush or spray both sides of the potato slices with olive oil (reserve half of the oil for the eggplant slices). Place the potato slices on a parchment-line baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until they are cooked through and starting to brown. Remove from the oven and lightly sprinkle with sea salt.
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
While the potatoes are baking, remove the eggplant slices from the colander and pat dry. Brush or spray both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil, and place the on a parchment-line baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until they are cooked through and starting to brown.

Making the Meat Sauce

In a large pan, cook the ground meat until browned. Drain the excess fat and set the meat aside.
3 lbs ground beef
In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an addtional minute.
6 tbsp salted butter, 4 cups diced onion, 3 tbsp minced garlic
Return the cooked meat to the pan and add the spices. Stir to fully combine.
3 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp salt, 1½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp white sugar, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Add the wine to the meat mixture and cook until it reduces by half.
2 cups red wine
Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and bay leaves to the pan with the meat. Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce for 20-30 minutes until the sauce thickens. (Note: It's important to let the sauce thicken or your moussaka will end up watery.)
2 6-ounce cans tomato paste, 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, 1 14.5-ounce can tomato sauce, 3 bay leaves

Making the Bechamel Sauce

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Be careful not to brown the butter.
10 tbsp salted butter
Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk continuously until the flour smell is cooked out. It should have a slightly nutty aroma.
10 tbsp flour
While whisking continuously, add the milk. Once the milk is fully incorporated, stir the sauce occasionally until it turns into a thickened cream sauce.
5 cups whole milk
Remove from the heat and whisk in the parmesan cheese and spices.
1½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp white pepper
Allow the sauce to cool for 5-10 mintues while stirring occasionally.
While whisking continuously, add the eggs and egg yolks until fully combined.
2 eggs, 2 egg yolks
Mix ½ cup of bechamel sauce into the meat sauce. Set the remaining bechamel sauce aside while you assemble the layers.

Putting it All Together

Lower the oven temperature to 350℉.
Layer the bottom of an 11x17 baking pan with potato slices. You may need to overlap some slices to avoid having gaps.
On top of the potatoes, create a layer of eggplant slices. Again, you may need to overlap some slices to avoid having gaps.
Next, add the meat sauce and spread evenly to the edges of the pan.
Use a ladle to add the bechamel sauce as the final layer. (Using a ladle instead of pouring it on top stops the bechamel from mixing with the meat sauce.)
Bake the moussaka at 350℉ for 40 minutes or until the top is starting to brown.
Allow to rest for 30-40 minutes before serving. This step will help the pieces stay together.

Notes

Note 1 - Olive Oil: In a lot of Greek tavernas, the eggplant and potato will be fried in oil. Baking these layers stops the dish from feeling too heavy. But it can also take away from the flavor the oil provides. Using EVOO helps keep the flavor of the oil without the heaviness of frying.

Note 2 - Eggplants: I prefer to cut my eggplants lengthwise, but using rounds will work fine as well. Becauce I slice them lengthwise, I cut a small amount of skin off each side to avoid having any slices that are all skin.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 629kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 38g

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