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Cooking adventures in a small, closet sized, kitchen. - I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

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Moussaka

[heart_this] · Aug 7, 2007 · 15 Comments

Moussaka

I got some more egg plants at the farmers market on the weekend. I have been wanting to try a moussaka for a while now and I took this opportunity to make it. Moussaka is dish that typically has three layers; a layer of vegetables (commonly eggplant or aubergines), a layer of meat sauce and a layer of white sauce. This was my first time eating and making moussaka. It turned out pretty good. It was pretty easy to make (even if it took a while), and it was tasty. I really liked the way that the cinnamon in the meat sauce and the nutmeg in the bechamel sauce added a really amazing spiced aroma to this savory dish. I will definitely be making this dish again.

Moussaka

Moussaka

Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes Servings: 8
ingredients
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1 can of pureed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 eggplant (sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices)
  • 2 cups bechamel sauce
  • 1/2 cup pecorino (grated)
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs
directions
  1. Brown the ground beef in a pan.
  2. Remove the ground beef from the pan reserving a bit of the grease in the pan.
  3. Add the the onions and saute until translucent.
  4. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
  5. Add the ground beef, tomatoes, wine, basil, oregano, cinnamon, bay leaf, salt and pepper, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. Broil the eggplant until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
  7. Place the eggplant on the bottom of a baking pan.
  8. Pour the meat sauce onto the egg plant.
  9. Melt the most of the cheese in the bechamel sauce.
  10. Pour the bechamel sauce onto the meat sauce.
  11. Top with the bread crumbs and the remaining cheese.
  12. Bake in a 350F/180C oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Similar Recipes:
Moussaka Burgers
Eggplant Wrapped Kebabs Baked in Tomato Sauce
Gemista (Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers)
Imam Baildi
Moussaka Patty Melt

Beef, Food, Greek, Low-carb, Main Course, Recipe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Peter M says

    August 7, 2007 at 8:39 am

    Bravo Kevin, you’re doing “Greek” very well!

    Reply
  2. Mahek says

    August 7, 2007 at 10:47 am

    hi
    kevin
    i found your site on Ruth’s blog
    you have a very good blog too, and this dish is great combination of eggplant and white sauce seems to be great.
    i have one question we do not eat beef so is there anything else that goes well with this chicken?
    pls let me know.

    Reply
  3. katiez says

    August 7, 2007 at 11:54 am

    I’ve been trying to work more eggplant into the menus…’tis the season, after all! This looks yummy – and easy!

    Reply
  4. Valli says

    August 7, 2007 at 12:57 pm

    Moussaka!!!!! Love all things Greek. The only additional layer I have in mine that I tried in a small Zagorian village on mainland Greece was potatoes. Go figure. Other than that our recipes are the same. Can’t improve on perfection!!! Sure looks tempting!!! Once the weather cools down……..

    Reply
  5. Janet says

    August 7, 2007 at 1:08 pm

    Hi Kevin… Just like you, I tried Moussaka at home for the first time and posted about it too, we LOVED it. It was a while ago, I think before you started reading my blog… check it out Moussaka

    Reply
  6. Patricia Scarpin says

    August 7, 2007 at 4:49 pm

    I’ve been meaning to try Moussaka for as long as I can remember – yours looks so good, Kevin!

    Reply
  7. Pam says

    August 7, 2007 at 8:43 pm

    You have got to stop making these gorgeous eggplant dishes. I don’t like eggplant, but you make it look so good, I might have to try it again!

    Reply
  8. Kevin says

    August 8, 2007 at 12:00 am

    Mahek: I have seen moussaka recipes that use ground lamb. I would imagine that ground chicken, turkey or even pork would also work.

    Reply
  9. Eli Edmundson says

    August 20, 2007 at 5:55 pm

    The cinnamon in Moussaka really makes it for me, but like the early commenter I always add potatoes, I preboil them a little, cool then cut and layer, makes it a full and hardy meal. I’ve been toying with the idea of building some in ring molds for an elegant presentation. You’ve made me hungry for Moussaka again!

    Reply
  10. smiles says

    March 26, 2008 at 11:31 pm

    wow this is great i love moussaka
    i start my bottom layer with potato then mince then egg plant then mince then zucchini then mince the top with the potato top with the white sauce

    Reply
  11. Anonymous says

    October 31, 2009 at 9:09 am

    looks/sounds tasty, although id usually put 2 layers of eggplant, and meat. Also id use a blend of pecorino and mozzerella. I also use more nutmeg than cinnamon.

    Reply
  12. TheRoosterChick says

    November 19, 2009 at 9:41 pm

    Love the name, sounds like a party in your tummy. lol

    Reply
  13. Esra says

    April 16, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    Thanks for great looking recipe Kevin, Moussaka is one of my favorite dishes, if you would like to try Turkish version moussaka, check out my musakka recipe http://carte-du-jour.blogspot.com/2010/04/light-zucchini-musakka-kabak-musakka.html

    Reply
  14. SUSANNA says

    April 18, 2010 at 10:15 am

    hello, good morning,

    I was lucky today, as the term to find your blog
    kitchen, very complete, I like to follow you to your fallout
    permit

    see you soon, greetings

    petonets susanna

    Reply
  15. Moira says

    November 15, 2013 at 12:33 am

    All of the eggplant at the bottom layer ? I guess I remember this recipe with eggplant layered in the middle, also ~ and maybe on top. The eggplant layers replace pasta layers in the traditional Italian lasagna? Making one for this year's holidays, so am wishing for the perfect layer config'! The seasonings are right on.

    Reply

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Kevin: I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.
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