Greek Moussaka ©

For the more adventurous!

 

6 Persons

 

Ingredients   

1 kl Firm Aubergines

1/2 kilo good quality mince meat

4 medium onions, finely chopped

4 tbs parsley finely chopped

4 tsp tomato puree

1 stick of Cinnamon

6 All Spice Berries

1 tsp grated Nutmeg

Salt pepper

 

For White Sauce

50g butter

50g Flour

600-650 ml milk

50g grated cheese

3 whole eggs

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 dl cream

salt and pepper

Toasted fine bread crumbs/ Galetta

 

Decoration

Sprigs of parsley

 

Method

Pre-heat oven 200.C.

Cooking time 3/4 hr.

Get ready all your ingredients First!   * Fry aubergines the day before!

 

DAY BEFORE :

1. Choose nice firm aubergines, remove skin in strips long ways. This leaves less skin on, but still gives the appearance of aubergine. Less bitter and tough.

2. Slice long ways 1 cm thick slices and try a little of the Aubergine for “Bitterness.” Soak in salted water for 10 minutes, leave to drain in colander, squeezing out the excess water. Pat dry with kitchen paper.

3. Cover base of large frying pan with oil, heat for 3 minutes and before it begins smoking, fry your aubergine slices, turning them over, so that they brown on both sides.

4. Lift out of frying pan and place on kitchen paper.

5. Once frying is finished move aubergines into colander, stand in bowl and leave to drain overnight. You will be surprised how much oil and liquid come out!

NEXT DAY :

6. Finely chop onions, saute until transparent in a little oil and add good quality mince meat. Cook until brown, ( Seal ) add spices, tomato puree and finely chopped parsley, together with 1/2 glass of water. Leave to simmer with lid off for 1/2 an hour, or until all the liquid is absorbed. You want an almost dry finish, so that Moussaka is not watery.

7. Lastly add salt and pepper, salt added before makes the mince tough.

8. In a separate saucepan, melt butter for white sauce, add flour and cook stirring until frothy, 2-3 mins. Add cold milk all at once and stir continuously until thickened. Boil stirring for 2 minutes to cook flour thoroughly, or it will have a floury taste! Add cream and season. Remove from heat. Add cheese. The sauce should be of a ‘pouring’ consistency, add a little extra milk if necessary.

9. Beat eggs with fork, until well amalgamated.

10. Pour eggs slowly into white sauce, stirring continuously.

11. Assemble Moussaka. Line ‘oven to table wear dish’ with half the aubergines. Cover with mince meat, add the rest of the aubergines, then pour over white sauce.

12. Sprinkle with cheese and toasted bread crumbs/Galetta and bake in pre-heated oven, 200. C. until golden on top. Then cover lightly with tin foil and cook a little longer. About 3/4 of an hour in all, for it to cook right through.

13. Remove from oven, leave to stand five minutes and cut with serrated knife into squares.

14. Serve straight away, nice and hot, or the Greek way, half an hour later, when the squares will come out more easily.

N.B. If you are making this for a special occasion, it should be served as squares on a large oval platter. In this case, I would leave it at least an hour to cool, then divide it into squares, remove squares from oven-proof dish and arrange on serving platter. Warm in oven no more than 50.C, so that oil does not come out. Decorate with sprigs of parsley.

This is a traditional, world famous Greek Speciality. Delicious if made well and well worth the effort. Don’t be afraid to add plenty of nutmeg! In Greece it is eaten just warm. Excellent for a big party.

 

 

Choose nice large firm Aubergines

Finely chop onions.

Slice aubergines lengthwise and soak in salted water .

Chop parsley.

Fry sliced aubergine in a little oil until just browning.

Drain on kitchen paper.

Transfer to colander, place on a plate and leave to drain over night.

Chop onions finely and saute in a little oil.

Add spices and then mince. Cook until well sealed, no redness showing and add parsley.

All Spice, Nutmeg and Cinnamon.

Have aubergines ready in colander.

Cook until nearly all the liquid has evaporated.

Melt butter in sauce pan for white sauce.

Beat eggs lightly.

Add flour to butter, cook for two minutes. Add ‘cold’ milk and bring to the boil. Cook for two minutes and

remove from heat. Leave to cool for two minutes.

Beat eggs lightly together.

Add beaten eggs, stirring all the time.

Add plenty of freshly grated nutmeg.

Line the base of an oven-proof dish with half of the aubergine slices.

Cover the layer of aubergines with half the mince meat.

Cover mince with rest of aubergines.

Pour over white sauce.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and toasted bread crumbs/ galetta.

Bake in oven until golden. Cover lightly with tin foil until the Moussaka is thoroughly cooked. Eat hot or,

leave to stand for half an hour, the Greek way and cut with a sharp knife into squares. Lift out squares and

serve on a warmed serving platter.

Final result ! Delicious !!

This is a thinner version to what you may have tried in a taverna, but I find it is lighter this way.