Name: Greek Moussaka
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 large eggplants, sliced; 1 lb ground beef; 1 onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 can diced tomatoes; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/2 cup butter; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups milk; 1/2 tsp nutmeg; 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

A classic Greek casserole made with eggplant, ground meat, and a creamy béchamel sauce.

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Salt the eggplant slices and let them sit for 15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
In a large pan, cook the ground beef until browned.
Add onion and garlic, sauté until softened.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and cinnamon.
Layer the eggplant slices in a baking dish, then add the meat mixture.
In a saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour to make a roux.
Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened.
Stir in nutmeg and Parmesan cheese.
Pour the béchamel over the eggplant and meat layers.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Check that the ground meat reaches 71°C (160°F) throughout before serving.