The Greek version of Moussaka was created by Nikolaos Tselementes, a French-trained chef, in the 1920s. Somehow I’ve managed to post two vegetarian versions without ever posting the classic one that David loves to cook. Here is his adaptation of a recipe from The Complete Middle Eastern Cookbook by Tess Mallos.
Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Cut 1kg (2 lbs) of eggplants (aubergine) into 5mm (¼”) slices lengthwise. Sprinkle with a little salt and leave for 1 hour. Pat dry with paper towels. Brush an oven tray or two with oil, lay the slices out in one layer and brush the tops with oil. Cook under a grill or in a hot oven until a little browned and softened. Heat a heavy pot and fry 1kg (2 lbs) of minced lamb until all the liquid has been released and has evaporated and the meat is frying. Add one large chopped onion and 2 minced cloves of garlic and cook gently until the onion is translucent. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook a little before adding ½ a cup of white wine and allowing it to evaporate. Add a can of chopped tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of sugar and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover and simmer gently for 20 – 30 minutes. Meanwhile make the bechamel sauce. Melt ¼ of a cup of butter in a saucepan and add ⅓ of a cup of flour. Cook for 2 minutes or so then slowly add 2 cups of milk, stirring constantly to avoid any lumps. Allow the sauce to bubble for 1 minute then remove it from the heat and add ⅛ of a teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Grease a rectangular lasagna dish and place a layer of eggplant on the bottom. Cover with half of the meat sauce and repeat. Finish with one more layer of eggplant. Stir a beaten egg into the sauce and spread it over the top. Sprinkle with another 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
Serve it with a fresh salad like this one of finely shaved zucchini (courgette) strips dressed in a lemony vinaigrette and sprinkled with sumac, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
michelle picker cooks 