Greek moussaka

Ingredients (for 4 people): 

– 600 grams of potato slices (about 21 oz)   

– 2 eggplants   

– 2 zucchinis  

– 2 tablespoons of cornstarch   

– Oil   

– Fresh parsley for garnish   

For the meat mixture: 

– 300 grams of ground beef (about 10.5 oz)   

– 1 onion   

– 2 cloves of garlic   

– 400 ml of diced tomatoes (about 13.5 fl oz)   

– 2 tablespoons of tomato paste   

– Pinch of oregano    

– 1 bay leaf   

For the béchamel sauce: 

– 300 ml of milk (about 10 fl oz)   

– 30 grams of butter (about 1 oz)   

– 30 grams of flour (about 1 oz)   

– 50 grams of grated cheese (about 1.75 oz)   

– 1 egg   

Preparation: 

1. Slice the eggplants into rounds about 3 mm thick. Heat a grill pan, brush the eggplant slices with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill them until nicely browned. Do the same with the zucchini and potatoes.  

2. Finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté them in a pan until translucent. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. You can also use vegetarian ground meat if preferred. Add the oregano, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and tomato paste to the beef mixture. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes. 

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (about 350°F). To prepare the béchamel sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in 25 grams of cheese and let it melt. Season the béchamel sauce with salt and pepper. Once the sauce has cooled slightly, whisk in the egg. 

4. Grease a baking dish with a bit of oil. Layer half of the grilled eggplant slices at the bottom. Next, add the potato slices and zucchini. Spread the meat mixture over the potatoes, followed by the remaining eggplant slices and zucchini. Pour the béchamel sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. 

5. Bake the Greek moussaka in the oven for about 45 minutes.                                                  

Enjoy your meal!