Moussaka - Kretischer Auberginenauflauf

Moussaka - Cretan eggplant casserole

PREPARATION

40 min

COOKING TIME

50 min

PERSONS

6-8 people

Ingredients

For the eggplants:
  • 3 large eggplants
  • 150 ml Cretan olive oil
  • 1 tsp sea salt
For the meat sauce:
  • 80 ml Cretan olive oil
  • 1 large onion (diced)
  • 3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
  • 600g ground beef
  • 400g diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 150ml red wine
  • 2 tsp Greek oregano
  • 1 tsp sea salt, pepper
For the bechamel sauce:
  • 80g butter
  • 80g flour
  • 800ml milk (warm)
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 100g cheese
  • nutmeg, salt, pepper



Memories

Moussaka is not just any casserole. It's a layering of flavors, an architecture of taste that demands patience and dedication. In Cretan households, moussaka is prepared on Sundays, when time is no object, when the whole family gathers in the kitchen.
Layer by layer, a masterpiece is created: eggplants fried golden brown in olive oil; ground meat simmered for hours; bechamel sauce stirred slowly until it has a silky sheen.
The aroma emanating from the oven while the moussaka is baking is indescribable, a mixture of roasted meat, caramelized onions, oregano and the slightly nutty note of eggplants.

Directions

Step 1:
Slice the eggplants, salt them, and let them sit for 20 minutes. The salt will draw out the bitter compounds, then pat them dry.

Step 2:
Pan-fry the eggplant slices in olive oil on both sides until golden brown. Set aside.

Step 3:
Brown the ground meat in the same pan. Once it starts to brown, add the onion and garlic and cook with it.

Step 4:
Add tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, and sea salt. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat, as herbs quickly lose their aroma with continued heat.

Step 5:
Prepare the bechamel sauce: Melt butter, stir in flour, gradually add milk, and bring to a boil while constantly stirring until the sauce is creamy.

Step 6:
Layer in a baking dish: eggplant, meat sauce, eggplant, bechamel. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 to 45 minutes until the surface is golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.