Ever-popular moussaka is equally suitable as a family supper dish or when entertaining a large group. Most versions are based primarily on sautéed aubergine (eggplant) and tomato, usually with minced meat. However, the Greek version includes layers of meat and eggplant topped with a Béchamel (“white”) sauce, and baked. Béchamel is a classic white sauce is made from cooking butter and flour together, then whisking in some milk. Its thickness depends on how much milk is added: the more milk, the thinner the sauce. See my post Get Sauce Savvy for more info on the five mother sauces.
10 ml olive oil
500 g lamb
10 ml crushed garlic
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 400 g tin tomato paste
15 ml parsley, finely chopped
5 ml salt
2.5 ml dried origanum
1 ml ground cinnamon
125 ml dried breadcrumbs
300 g aubergine/brinjal
50 ml olive oil
Cheese sauce
30 g butter
30 ml cake flour
2.5 ml salt
375 ml milk
50 g cheese, grated (e.g. Parmesan)
2 large eggs, separated
- Pre-heat the oven to 230 °C and grease an ovenproof dish with a 2 liter capacity with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion. Stir-fry until cooked. Add the mince and garlic and cook while stirring until the mince is crumbly.
- Add the tomato, parsley, salt, origanum and cinnamon and stir to combine. Cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the bread crumbs.
- Slice the aubergine into 1 cm thick slices and brush each slice with oil on both sides.
- Place the aubergine slices on a baking tray lined with Wizbake sheet and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until just tender.
- Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Lower the oven temperature to 160 °C.
- To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan.
- Remove the saucepan from the stove and stir in the cake flour and salt.
- Add the milk a little at a time while stirring with a spatula to prevent lumps.
- Bring to the boil while stirring and cook until a smooth sauce forms.
- Add the cheese and remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Have ready a medium mixing bowl and two small mixing bowls.
- Separate the eggs into the small bowls one at a time, transferring the whites from the small bowl into the larger bowl and the yolks into the 2nd small bowl.
- Add the egg yolks to the sauce while beating with a fork. Set aside.
- Beat the egg whites with an electric hand whisk until soft peaks form and fold it into the sauce with a spatula.
- Pour a thin layer of the sauce into the dish and cover with half of the aubergine slices. Layer with the meat sauce, remaining aubergine and finish off with the cheese sauce.
- Bake the moussaka for about 45 minutes or until light golden brown and bubbly.
- Serve with salad and fresh bread.
6 servings
Variation
– Substutute tje aubergine with two large potatoes which has been peeled, sliced and boiled until tender.
– Substitute the lamb mince with beef mince.
Photo credit: www.ohmydish.com
Recipe by Carolié de Koster from the Art Of Cooking recipe book page 213.