Greek moussaka

Ingredients

• Black oval eggplants1200 g
• Ground lamb500 g
• Tomato purée300 ml
• Yellow onion150 g
• Garlic2 cloves
• Extra virgin olive oil80 ml
• Dry white wine50 ml
• Ground cinnamon2 g
• Whole milk500 ml
• Butter50 g
• All-purpose flour50 g
• Egg (Yolk)1
• Kefalotyri cheese (or Parmesan)60 g
• Fine salt12 g
• Ground black pepper2 g
• Nutmeg1 g

Allergens

Gluten, Milk, Eggs
May contain traces of: Sulphites.

Method

1. Slice eggplants into 1 cm rounds, salt lightly and let them purge for 30 minutes; rinse, pat dry, and grill or lightly fry them with half of the olive oil.
2. In a saucepan, sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic with the remaining oil until golden brown.
3. Add the ground lamb and brown over high heat until it changes color; deglaze with white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate.
4. Add the tomato purée, cinnamon, salt, and pepper; cover and simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes until the sauce is thick.
5. For the béchamel: melt butter in a small pot, whisk in flour to create a roux, then gradually pour in hot milk, whisking constantly until boiling.
6. Remove béchamel from heat, add salt, nutmeg, half of the grated cheese and, once lukewarm, whisk in the egg yolk.
7. In a baking dish, place a layer of eggplants, cover with the lamb sauce, and repeat until all ingredients are used.
8. Pour the béchamel evenly over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
9. Bake in a preheated static oven at 180°C (350°F) for 45 minutes, until the surface is well-browned and gratinéed.
10. Allow the moussaka to rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.