Moussaka

Moussaka

Ingredients:

• 6 aubergines
• olive oil
• 750g minced beef, lamb or turkey
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 glass of red wine
• Salt & pepper
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 of a cup olive oil

Ingredients for the béchamel sauce:

• 875ml milk
• 100g butter
• 100g flour
• 2 eggs
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 100g Regato or Kefalotyri

Method:

1. Remove the stalks from the aubergines and cut them into thick slices and season with salt.
2. Rinse the aubergine slices with plenty of water and squeeze with your hands, to get rid of the excess water.
3. Line a tray with grease proof paper add the aubergine slices and sprinkle them with some olive oil. Bake them for 20 minutes.
4. In a large pan heat the olive oil to medium -high heat and stir in the chopped onions and sauté them.
5. Stir in the garlic, tomato puree and the mince. Break the mince up with a wooden spoon, spread it out and sauté.
6. Pour in the red wine and let it evaporate.
7. Add tinned tomatoes, sugar, cinnamon, bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
8. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 30 minutes, until most of the juices have evaporated.
9. In a large pan melt some butter over low-medium heat.
10. Add the flour whisking continuously to make a paste. Add milk in a steady stream while whisking in order to prevent your sauce from getting lumpy.
11. If the sauce is not thick enough, keep boiling over low heat and continue to stir.
12. When the sauce is thick enough remove the pan from the heat and stir in two egg yolks, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and the grated cheese. Whisk quickly quickly!!
13. In a large baking dish, butter the bottom and sides of the pan and layer the aubergine slices. Pour in the meat sauce and even out. Add a second layer of the aubergine slices and top with the béchamel sauce.
14. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake the moussaka in preheated oven at 180-200C for about 60 minutes, until crust turns golden brown.
15. Enjoy your Moussaka!