authentic traditional moussaka
before starting anything it must be
the preparation of the meat sauce , the vegetable cooking and layering and finally the bechamel cream
for the meat sauce:
pour the oil into a deep large pan and heat it slightly
crumble the minced beef into the oil together with the onion and garlic
brown everything well , stirring constantly so the beef does not clump
pour in the wine and allow everything to boil until the wine evaporates
add the fresh tomato , oregano , bay leaf , salt and pepper and stir regularly while waiting for the tomato to soften well
pour in the tomato juice , stir everything and allow it to cook and thicken
finally , pour in the water and , over a medium flame , allow the sauce to cook until the beef is tender and the liquids have evaporated by at least 2 / 3 and the sauce is thick
while the meat sauce is cooking prepare the vegetables:
cut the eggplants into medium slices and soak them in salted water for 1 hour before your commence your sauce so everything will be more conveniently timed
this soaking removes the bitterness in the eggplant skins and also helps them not to absorb so much oil while frying
remove the eggplants from the eater , strain them well and then dry them on a kitchen towel to absorb any excess water
fry the potato slices and then strain them on kitchen paper
oil your moussaka plan with the tablespoons of olive oil and created a layer with the fried potatoes taking care not to leave any gaps
fry the eggplants and again strain them on kitchen paper and place then in a layer on top of the sliced potatoes
sprinkle some salt , pepper and 1 tablespoon of the grated cheese on the eggplant layer
strain the meat sauce of any excess oil and then pour it evenly on top of the eggplant
sprinkle the sauce with the 2nd tablespoon of grated cheese and then prepare your bechamel cream
for the bechamel cream:
this is an age old recipe handed down from mother to daughter , in my family , and then finally from my mother down to me
i strongly recommend that you avoid the temptation to adjust it as the extraordinary delight you will get when you taste it atop of traditional country moussaka , will leave an aftertaste that will linger in your memory for days
melt the butter in a pot , over a low flame , and add the flour stirring with a wooden spoon until the flour and butter combine to make a roux
quickly add the 4 of the cups of milk and keep stirring with a whisk until the mixture becomes almost creamy and when it starts to thicken a lot , add the remaining milk and the beaten eggs
continue stirring until everything has combined evenly and is a thick creamy texture - this may take some effort
add the sugar , mix it in well , the salt , pepper , cinnamon and cheese and mix everything well until it acquires its creamy texture again
allow it to bubble over a low flame for about 1 minute , while stirring constantly
if your cream is too thick , add a little more milk or water and stir it in well until it obtains the desired thickness
if , on the other hand , your cream is a little too thin , let it stand for about 5 minutes and it will thicken as it cools , and then use it
pour the bechamel cream evenly on top of the meat sauce and add the dabs of margarine to the surface of the cream in various places
bake the moussaka in a medium preheated oven at 180c - 350f , for about 30 minutes , or until the cream unevenly gently browns in places
allow the moussaka to cool for about 20 minutes and then cut it into servings