Moussaka: a recipe

This week we’re going to dive into the details of Moussaka. Since we covered the perfect lasagne just a couple weeks ago, I figured it would make sense to look at a dish that follows a similar process but with slightly different ingredients. The moussaka is Greece’s answer to lasagne after all, and if you have mastered that recipe (linked here), you can definitely master this too. Nothing like adding another crowd-pleaser to your arsenal.

The moussaka is a rich, layered, and unapologetically indulgent dish. At its core, is a beautiful bake of spiced lamb ragu, golden pan-fried vegetables, and the silkiest bechamel. Instead of pasta however, we use golden brown, sautéed vegetables as our layers and rather than having the cheese and bechamel scattered throughout, this sits only at the very top. We also dial up the spice level of the ragu by introducing some cinnamon and dried herbs + a lovely glug of Greek red wine.

This isn’t a quick midweek meal, but it is the kind of weekend project that makes your kitchen smell unreal and leaves you with a dish that tastes even better the next day.

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Before you start: a few things to keep in mind

• Salt your vegetables – Eggplant and zucchini hold lots of moisture. Salt them properly to allow the excess water to release. This will stop your moussaka from becoming wet and soggy.

• Potatoes – this is a traditional must but many versions omit the humble potato. I will incorporate this into the recipe of course, but mine was made without as I wanted something a little lighter.

• Bechamel – the key difference with this bechamel is that it’s much thicker and incorporates a Greek cheese called Kefalotyri. It’s sharp and salty, made from sheep and goats milk.

• Don’t rush the ragu – Low and slow is the way. We’re cooking this for a full 3 hours so that the flavours fully develop and come together as one.

• Resting time is essential – Just like lasagne, this needs 30-40 mins post-bake to settle. It’ll slice cleaner and taste better this way.