Greek Eggplant Moussaka

Ingredients

• Eggplant

  Raw

  2 eggplant, peeled (yield from 1-1/4 lb) or 916g

• Potato

  Flesh and skin, raw

  3 potato, large or 1.11kg

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  3 tbsp or 41g

• Onions

  Raw

  1 large or 150g

• Garlic

  Raw

  3 cloves, minced or 9g

• Ground beef

  70% lean meat / 30% fat, raw

  1 lb or 453g

• Tomatoes

  Crushed, canned

  397g

• Tomato paste

  Canned, without salt added

  3 tbsp or 48g

• Salt

  Table

  1 tsp or 6g

• Thyme

  Spices, dried

  1 tsp, leaves or 1g

• Paprika

  Spices

  1 tsp or 2g

• Cinnamon

  Spices, ground

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  ½ tsp or 1g

• Butter

  Unsalted

  5 tbsp or 71g

• Wheat flour

  Whole-grain

  5 tbsp or 38g

• Whole milk

  3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D

  3 cup or 732g

• Salt

  Table

  ½ tsp or 3g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  ¼ tsp or 0.5g

• Parmesan cheese

  Grated

  ½ cup or 50g

• Egg

  Whole, fresh eggs

  2 medium or 88g

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush generously with olive oil.
2. Place the eggplant sliced on the baking sheet and brush some more olive oil on them.
3. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes until they are cooked and golden brown. Take then out of the oven and lower the temperature to 350F.
4. As the eggplants are roasting, bring a pot of water to boil.
5. Cook the potato sliced in the boiling water for five to seven minutes until they are some how fork tender. Drain and discard the water. Set the potatoes aside.
6. Heat olive oil in a large pan and saute onion and garlic until golden brown.
7. Add in the ground beef and brown completely. Discard excess fat if any.
8. Add in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and all the spices. Mix well and cook for about ten minutes over medium low heat. Make sure the meat sauce is juicy enough, add 1/2 cup water or broth if needed.
9. Bechamel Sauce
10. Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.
11. Whisk in the flour and mix well.
12. Add milk in steps and whisk very well after each addition.
13. Bring the sauce to simmer and cook for some minutes until it's creamy and thick.
14. Turn the heat off, add in salt and pepper.
15. Add in the eggs and parmesan cheese. Whisk well until everything is completely incorporated.
16. Assembling Moussaka
17. Coat the bottom of a 10x13 baking dish with bechamel sauce.
18. Layer the potatoes so they cover the bottom completely.
19. Layer the roasted eggplant slices on the potatoes.
20. Pour the meat sauce over the eggplants.
21. Cover the meat sauce with bechamel sauce and sprinkle extra parmesan cheese on top.
22. Bake in the oven at 350F for about 45 minutes until golden and the sauce is bubbling. Broil for two minutes if desired.
23. Let moussaka cool for ten to fifteen minutes before slicing.
24. Recipe by: Shadi HasanzadeNemati (source: https://www.unicornsinthekitchen.com/greek-eggplant-moussaka-recipe/)