My first attempt making Moussaka

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Moussaka is one of the dishes I enjoyed when I visited Greece this past November. Once I came home, I was determined to make it for my kids. I found several recipes, and all of them called for the same main ingredients. In some recipes, the vegetables were fried, while others had them baked.  I opted for the latter.

For our Christmas brunch, I made the moussaka and it turned out as delicious as the authentic one I tasted in Greece.  Let me share how I prepared this delicious meal.

The ingredients I used

3 eggplants

4 potatoes

For the meat sauce

1 lb. ground meat

2 tbsp of Haitian spice  (A blend of garlic, bell pepper, scallion, scotch bonnet pepper,  vinegar, scallions, cloves, and parsley leaves)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp oregano

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ cup of red wine

about 1 cup of tomato sauce

1 onion diced

1 bell pepper diced

 

For the bechamel sauce

3 tbsp butter

2 cups of milk

3 tbsp flour

1/8 tsp Nutmeg

Salt and pepper

1 cup of parmesan cheese

 

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Step 1

I first boiled the potatoes, sliced them ¼ inch thick, and set them aside.

Step 2

I sliced the eggplant ¼ inch thick. I brushed them with olive oil and sprinkled salt and pepper on both sides. I placed them on a baking sheet and cooked them in the oven for about 7 minutes per side.

Step 3

I seasoned the ground meat with my Haitian spice. In a large saucepan, I sweat the diced onion and bell pepper with some salt in the olive oil over medium heat. Then I added the ground meat and cooked it until it was golden brown. Next, I added the oregano, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I added the red wine, then the tomato sauce. I checked for the seasoning, then turned off the fire, and set the sauce aside.

Step 4

I prepared the bechamel sauce.  I melted the butter in another saucepan over medium heat. I added the flour and whisked it to make a paste. Then I added the milk slowly.  Once it is thickened, I added the nutmeg, salt, pepper, and cheese.

Assembling the moussaka was the final step.  I preheated the oven to 350 degrees F.  I greased my baking dish.  I started with a layer of potatoes, sprinkled with parmesan cheese.  Then I added the eggplant, sprinkled with more Parmesan cheese.  Then I added the meat sauce and I finished with the bechamel sauce and sprinkled more parmesan cheese. Finally, I baked it for 50 minutes.

 

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16 COMMENTS

  1. I see that this dish includes eggplant and my husband love that! I will have to try and make this delicious dish too… and yours came out beautifully!

  2. Your moussaka recipe is mouthwatering! The detailed steps and personal anecdotes make it easy to follow and engaging to read. I can’t wait to give it a try in my own kitchen!

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