Mediterranean🥩 Meat

Authentic Greek Moussaka

Name: Authentic Greek Moussaka
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: ~500-600 g minced beef; ~1 medium onion; ~3-4 cloves garlic; ~3-4 tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil; ~2 sprigs fresh thyme; ~½ tsp sugar; ~½ tsp cinnamon; ~2-3 cloves cloves; ~1½ tsp salt; ~½ tsp black pepper; ~2 tbsp tomato paste; ~400 g grated tomato; ~¾ cups vegetable oil; ~2-3 medium eggplant; ~2 medium zucchini; ~3-4 medium potatoes; ~¼ cups fresh basil; ~2 tbsp fresh parsley; ~50 g butter; ~3 tbsp flour; ~500 ml milk; ~¼ tsp nutmeg; ~3 egg yolks; ~100 g cheese

⏱ 105 min🍽 Serves 8

An iconic Greek classic layering deep-fried vegetables, aromatic meat sauce with warm spices, and a creamy béchamel topping, baked until golden perfection.

Adapted from a video by Akis Petretzikis

Authentic Greek Moussaka | Baking With Akis

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

minced beef~500-600 gest.
onion~1 mediumest.
garlic~3-4 clovesest.
extra virgin Greek olive oil~3-4 tbspest.
fresh thyme~2 sprigsest.
sugar~½ tspest.
cinnamon~½ tspest.
cloves~2-3 clovesest.
salt~1½ tspest.
black pepper~½ tspest.
tomato paste~2 tbspest.

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1
Chop the onion and sauté it in extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2
Smash and chop the garlic, then add it to the pan and mix with the onion.
3
Add fresh thyme and mix everything together to develop the aromatics.
4
Add a small amount of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomato that will be added later.
5
Add cinnamon and cloves, stirring to incorporate the spices throughout.
6
Add the minced beef to the pan, breaking it apart with a spatula until browned.
7
Season with salt and black pepper. Add red chili flakes if desired for heat.
8
Add tomato paste and stir, then add grated tomato and mix well.
9
Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce becomes thick and rich.
10
Heat vegetable oil in another pan. Cut eggplant into thin slices and deep fry until cooked through, then drain on paper towels.
11
Repeat the same process with zucchini and potatoes, ensuring each vegetable is fully cooked and well-drained.
12
Add fresh basil (if desired) and fresh parsley to the meat sauce and mix well.
13
Make the béchamel sauce: melt butter in a pot and whisk in flour to form a paste.
14
Gradually add milk in batches, whisking constantly after each addition to prevent lumps.
15
Season the sauce with freshly ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.
16
When bubbles appear on the surface of the sauce, remove from heat and stir in cheese and egg yolks until fully combined.
17
Mix a small amount of béchamel sauce into the meat sauce to thicken it and help bind the layers together.
18
Arrange potato slices as the first layer in a baking dish and season with salt.
19
Layer eggplant slices on top, season with salt, then add zucchini slices to create the vegetable bed.
20
Spread the prepared meat sauce evenly over the vegetable layers.
21
Spread the hot béchamel sauce evenly over the meat sauce, ensuring complete coverage.
22
Optional: top with breadcrumbs or cheese for a golden finish.
23
Bake in a preheated 180°C (fan-forced) oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
24
Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature before serving to allow all layers to set and meld.

Authentic Greek Moussaka

Ingredients

Steps

More like this