World Monitor Magazine #1 WM march 2018 (1) | Page 57
Moussaka
Ingredients Method
For the vegetables
olive oil, for brushing and
extra for vegetables
2 potatoes, cut into thin slices
1 onion, cut into thin slices
1 eggplant, cut into thin slices
2 medium zucchini, cut into
thin slices
salt, ground pepper, thyme Preheat oven to 200* C (390* F) Fan.
For the ground meat
mixture
olive oil, for sautéing
1 onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
500 g ground meat (beef)
salt, ground pepper
½ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 can chopped tomatoes
For the béchamel sauce
750 ml milk, 3 egg yolks
100 g all-purpose flour
100 g butter, ground pepper
pinch of ground nutmeg
100 g grated parmesan
pepper, olive oil
some thyme leaves
roasted vegetables
For the vegetables
Brush a 25x30 cm baking pan with olive oil.
Peel the potatoes and onion and cut into
thin slices.
Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil.
Season with salt, pepper and some thyme.
Toss to coat.
Spread in a single layer on the bottom of
the baking pan.
Bake for 20 minutes, until they soften and
turn golden.
Thinly slice an eggplant. The vegetable
slices need to be thin in order for them to
cook correctly in the oven.
Transfer eggplant slices to a bowl. Drizzle
with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and
thyme. Toss.
Remove pan from oven and add the
eggplant slices. Spread them in a single
layer over the potato and onion. If your
eggplant looks a little dry, drizzle with
some more olive oil.
Bake for another 20 minutes.
Cut the zucchini into thin slices. Once
again, drizzle with olive oil, season with
salt, pepper and thyme. Toss to coat.
Spread them in a single layer over the
eggplant and bake for 20 minutes.
For the ground meat
Pour a small amount of olive oil into a
pan. Mince an onion. Add it to the pan and
caramelize over high heat.
Mince a clove of garlic. Add it to your pan
and mix. Sauté until it softens and turns
slightly golden.
Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch
of ground cloves. Mix and sauté. It makes
such a huge difference when you cook
your spices before you add the meat.
Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. Sauté.
Add the ground meat. Use a wooden
spoon to break it up into small pieces.
Season with salt and pepper and brown
over high heat.
Add a can of chopped tomatoes. Sauté for
5-10 minutes or until most of the liquid
evaporates. The mixture should be quite
dry. Set aside.
For the béchamel sauce
Place a medium sized saucepan over
medium heat. Add the butter. As soon as
the butter starts to melt add the flour and
start to whisk as you sauté.
Start to add the milk slowly and in
batches. Whisk continuously throughout
this process so no lumps form in the
mixture. As soon as the first batch of milk
is absorbed in the flour, you can add the
next batch. Repeat process un til all of
the milk has been added and completely
incorporated in the mixture.
When the sauce finally starts to bubble
you’ll know it’s ready. It should be smooth,
creamy and delicious.
Remove from heat. Add some freshly
ground pepper, ground nutmeg, grated
parmesan and 3 egg yolks. Stir and set
aside.
To assemble
Add 1/3 of the béchamel sauce to the
ground meat mixture. Mix together to
create a sticky filling that will hold the dish
together when serving and eating.
Spread filling over vegetable layers.
Pour béchamel sauce over meat filling.
Use a spatula to smooth the top and
sprinkle with some grated parmesan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden
brown.
Remove from oven. Allow to cool for at
least 1 hour.
Cut into pieces, serve and enjoy!
Video: https://youtu.be/Z_GcsR7Q99s
https://akispetretzikis.com/en/categories/
lachanika/moysakas
55