Traditional Greek moussaka with lamb and béchamel

Ingredients

Aubergine

• 3 large aubergines, sliced 1 cm thick
• Salt, for sweating
• 150 ml olive oil

Meat sauce

• 800 g lamb mince (or 50/50 lamb and beef)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp red wine
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt + black pepper

Béchamel

• 75 g unsalted butter
• 75 g plain flour
• 600 ml whole milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50 g kefalotyri or parmesan, grated
• Pinch of nutmeg

Method

1. Aubergine. Salt slices. Rest 30 minutes. Pat dry. Brush with olive oil. Grill or pan-fry until golden both sides.
2. Meat. Heat oil in a wide pan. Brown the lamb hard. Set aside. Soften onion 10 minutes. Add garlic, spices 1 minute. Add tomato purée, tomatoes, wine, oregano, bay. Simmer 30 minutes. Return lamb. Season.
3. Béchamel. Melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Cook 5 minutes until thick. Off heat, whisk in egg, cheese, nutmeg.
4. Layer. In a baking dish: aubergine, meat sauce, aubergine, meat sauce. Top with béchamel. Score with a knife in a diamond pattern.
5. Bake. 180°C for 40-45 minutes until béchamel is golden and bubbling.
6. Rest. 20 minutes minimum before slicing.

Tips

• Salt the aubergine slices for 30 minutes. Draws out bitterness, soaks up less oil.
• Cinnamon in the meat. Trust me. It’s not a dessert spice here — it’s the soul.
• Rest 20 minutes before cutting. The layers need to set or it collapses into stew.