001Moussaka

Method

Classic Athenian home style. Serve with a simple green salad or horiatiki.

You will need

• 30 x 22 cm baking dish
• large saucepan
• deep frying pan
• whisk
• baking sheet

1. Heat a conventional oven to 200°C (400°F). Brush the aubergine and potato slices liberally with olive oil, season with salt, lay flat across baking trays, and roast until tender and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. 25 min · 200°C / 400°F Ready when: Vegetables are tender and lightly coloured
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep pan over medium heat, add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. 5 min Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent
3. Add the minced beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and fry until completely browned, about 8 minutes. 8 min Ready when: Meat is no longer pink
4. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, deglaze with the red wine if using, then add the tinned tomatoes, bay leaf, a teaspoon of salt, and pepper; simmer uncovered over low heat until the liquid has completely evaporated, about 25 minutes. 25 min Ready when: Sauce is thick, glossy, and free of runny liquid
5. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, stir in the flour to form a smooth roux, and cook for 2 minutes without browning. 2 min Ready when: Roux is pale and bubbly
6. Gradually whisk in the warmed milk, bringing it to a simmer while whisking continuously until the béchamel thickens into a glossy, smooth cream, then remove from heat, let cool for 5 minutes, and whisk in the beaten eggs and seasoning. 7 min Ready when: Béchamel coats the back of a spoon thickly
7. Assemble the dish in a 30 x 22 cm baking dish by arranging the potato slices in a single layer on the base, spreading the cooked aubergine slices over them, topping evenly with the thick meat sauce, and finishing with the béchamel spread flat to the edges. 5 min Ready when: Layers are evenly assembled
8. Bake in the conventional oven at 180°C (350°F) for 45 to 50 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown and bubbling at the sides. 45 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: Top is mottled deep golden and set firm
9. Allow the moussaka to rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cutting into neat squares, which allows the layers to settle. 20 min Ready when: Slices hold their shape cleanly

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Make ahead and storing

Can be assembled completely up to 24 hours in advance and kept chilled before baking.

Fridge 3 days, reheats well; freeze in portions after baking.

Substitutions

• minced lamb for minced beef. Traditional in parts of the diaspora, giving a richer and gamier flavour.

Common mistakes

• Leaving too much liquid in the meat sauce. Excess moisture seeps into the potato base and turns the entire casserole watery.
• Slicing too early out of the oven. The béchamel and warm juices need to rest to set firmly into distinct layers.

Regional variants

• Summer Peloponnesian variant with sliced courgettes layered alongside the aubergine.

About the dish

While vegetable-and-meat casseroles known as musakka were common throughout the Ottoman Empire, the modern Greek layered baked dish was defined in the 1920s by the influential French-trained chef Nikolaos Tselementes. Tselementes added a rich French béchamel sauce, creating the iconic tripartite structure of sliced potatoes and aubergines, spiced meat sauce, and a golden custard topping.

Found in all of Greece. Cooked for everyday, sunday lunch, summer.

Cousins elsewhere

• Musakka (Turkish). The Turkish dish is a sautéed casserole of spiced mince and aubergine without potatoes or béchamel sauce.
• Musaqqa'a (Levantine). A spiced stew of aubergine, chickpeas, and tomatoes served hot or cold without dairy.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

670 kcal · protein 28.8 g · fat 41.7 g (saturated 16.2 g) · carbohydrate 47.4 g (sugars 15.5 g) · fibre 8.1 g · sodium 241 mg

An estimate (summed from ingredient estimates) that varies with the exact ingredients. It is not dietary advice.

Written fresh by Epikouria editors from general culinary tradition. Recipe by the Epikouria editors. Following the classic twentieth-century urban Greek style established by Tselementes..

Products for this dish

Read more

• Moussaka and Tselementes: How a Modern Classic Was Codified