Traditional Greek Moussaka recipe (Moussaka with Béchamel) - My Greek Dish Greek Roast Chicken recipe (Kotopoulo sto fourno)» Traditional Greek Moussaka recipe (Moussaka with Béchamel) Tweet Greek Moussaka recipe – A delicious taste of Greece This dish is a legend! Creamy, juicy and absolutely delicious.. Greek moussaka (mousaka) is one of the most popular dishes in Greece, served in almost every tavern and prepared in every household on special occasions and big family meals and for good reason! To prepare a traditional Greek Moussaka recipe, luscious layers of juicy minced beef (or lamb) are cooked in a tomato based sauce, layered with sweet eggplants and creamy béchamel sauce and baked together until golden perfection.. Simply irresistible! With this step-by-step traditional Greek Moussaka recipe you can easily recreate this traditional delight from scratch! So go ahead, indulge yourself to this little sin.. This easy to follow Greek moussaka recipe never fails to impress and is always a crowd pleaser.

The essence of this traditional Greek moussaka recipe can be summarised in three key stages: preparing the meat filling, preparing the béchamel sauce and cooking the eggplants. Each stage will require dirtying some pans, but i think you will agree that the end result is well worth it! Greek Moussaka recipe – Prepare the meat sauce The traditional Greek moussaka recipe calls for either minced lamb or a mix of lamb and beef. But if you can’t handle its strong flavour and prefer a lighter version try substituting with good quality minced beed or veal. To prepare the meat sauce for this moussaka recipe, the ground beef is sautéed in olive oil, flavoured with onions and garlic and then simmered in red wine and tomato sauce. The aromatic herbs and spices used in the traditional moussaka recipe penetrate the meat and give a really characteristic taste and smell which permeates the house, once put in the oven! Let the sauce simmer for a while to allow the flavours to mingle. Are you a vegetarian? Not to worry, there is always a way to enjoy this delicious dish! Discover my latest delicious Vegetarian Greek Moussaka recipe with a delicious mushroom based sauce replacing the traditional mince.

Greek Moussaka recipe – Prepare the Béchamel sauce The creamy béchamel sauce is the most essential part for a traditional Greek moussaka recipe and probably the trickiest part too. To achieve the perfect texture for your béchamel sauce, add the milk (preferably lukewarm) a little bit at a time whilst constantly stirring. The perfect béchamel sauce for your moussaka should be smooth and creamy. The key is to whisk the sauce constantly to allow each time the flour to absorb the milk, so that it doesn’t get lumpy. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat in order to prevent it from burning and sticking on the bottom of the pan, but be careful to cook it enough, until you can’t taste the flour and is thick enough. Greek Moussaka recipe – Prepare the vegetables The base for a traditional Greek moussaka is most commonly fried eggplants. Some moussaka recipes also use sliced potatoes, so if you like potatoes, try adding a layer of sliced potatoes as the first layer to this amazing dish for some extra comfort during the winter months.

The traditional Greek moussaka recipe calls for fried eggplants (and potatoes), but for a lighter alternative, try drizzling the aubergines (and potatoes) with some olive oil and bake them for 20 minutes instead of frying them. Some eggplants may be bitter, so it is very important to remove the bitterness by seasoning with salt and letting them stand for half an hour in a collander. So go ahead, give this traditional Greek Moussaka recipe a try and amaze your friends and family with this extra tasty hearty dish! Oh and you can always read this delicious recipe in Greek here Παραδοσιακός Μουσακάς συνταγή (Μουσακάς με πατάτες και μελιτζάνες) .

Base ingredients vegetable oil (for frying the eggplants) For the meat sauce 750g minced beef or lamb (26 ounces) 2 red onions (chopped) 2 cloves of garlic (chopped) 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g/ 14 oz.) 2 tbsp tomato puree 1 glass of red wine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 bay leaf a pinch of cinnamon or one cinnamon stick 1/4 of a cup olive oil For the béchamel sauce 900ml milk (3 and 1/2 cups) 120g butter (3.5 ounces) Authentic Traditional Moussaka Recipe - Food.com 21 Traditional Easter Dinner Recipes Directions Before starting anything it must be noted that Moussaka, in every Greek home, is made in 3 'stages'. 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 (otherwise your moussaka will be too greasy) 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 (after the milk). Continue stirring until everything has combined evenly and is a thick creamy texture - this may take some effort (if you have lumps, use an electric hand mixer in it for a couple of minutes and they will dissolve). 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 180ºC - 350ºF, 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. Roasted Vegetable Moussaka - Mediterranean Vegetarian Recipe Roasted Vegetable Moussaka (30) This recipe has been updated from the archives. I retested it and improved the flavor; I also streamlined the cooking process. Enjoy! Moussaka originated in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe. Like many ancient dishes, it has a number of regional variations. Alan Davidson explains these various approaches in his Oxford Companion to Food : “Moussaka or musaka, often written as musakka, is a meat and vegetable stew, originally made from sliced aubergine (eggplant), meat, and tomatoes, and preferably cooked in an oven. This is the version current among the Turks and Arabs, who may also substitute courgettes (zucchini) for the aubergines. In the Balkans, more elaborate versions are found.

The Greeks cover the stew with a layer of beaten egg or béchamel sauce. Elsewhere in the Balkans mussaka has become a much more various oven-baked casserole, admitting many more vegetables than aubergine or courgette, often dropping tomatoes and even meat. Bulgarian and Yugoslav versions emphasize eggs, and a given recipe may consist of eggs, cheese, potatoes, and spinach, or eggs, cheese, sauerkraut, and rice. In Romania, which considers musaca a national dish, the vegetables may be potatoes, celery, cabbage, or cauliflower–or may be replaced by noodles.” Ancient map of southeastern Europe, ca 1680 Eggplant is the main ingredient in most moussaka recipes, because it is easily grown and cultivated in the Mediterranean. Throughout history the Sephardic Jews have prized the eggplant as an affordable, healthy dietary staple that can be prepared in numerous ways. In fact, during the second Jewish expulsion from Spain and Portugal in 1580 (when the two countries united under one crown), eggplant became known as the “Jew’s apple” because of its frequent usage in Sephardic Jewish cuisine.

My Roasted Vegetable Moussaka is Greek-style, topped with rich and creamy béchamel sauce. The vegetables are roasted before baking the casserole, which adds lots of wonderful flavor to the finished dish. Lentils serve as a meat substitute here, with lots of vegetables and potatoes to make the dish hearty. Even devoted carnivores may find themselves completely satiated by this recipe. I’ll warn you in advance, this is NOT an easy dish to prepare. While the steps themselves are pretty simple (and well explained below), the process is time consuming. This dish would be best suited to a special occasion, like a Sunday family gathering, when you have a few hours to prep and assemble the ingredients. Serve the leftovers for Meatless Monday– the dish refrigerates and freezes well. I’ve included a few tips in the recipe for cutting down on prep time. The end result is worth the effort– it’s scrumptious, with layers and layers of amazing flavor. Gluten Free Modification: This recipe is almost gluten free, but it will take a couple of modifications to make it completely GF. The original recipe uses flour to thicken the béchamel sauce.

Substitute King Arthur’s Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour or a small amount of potato starch as a thickener. If you’re using a pre-grated parmesan, check to make sure that it is purely cheese (no modified starches in the mix). This will ensure that your moussaka is gluten free. Vegetarian Note: If you are a vegetarian, you will want to make sure that your cheeses are vegetarian (produced without animal rennet). Recommended Products: Ceramic Baking Dish Affiliate links help to support my website and the free recipe content I provide. A percentage of any purchase you make via these links will go towards buying ingredients, photography supplies and server space, as well as all the other expenses involved in running a large cooking website. Thank you very much for browsing! 1 1/2 lbs. zucchini (about 3 medium), sliced thin 1 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and sliced thin 3 lbs. small eggplants 1 1/2 cups cooked or steamed lentils 1 roasted red bell pepper, sliced thin 3 cups diced ripe red tomatoes or 2 cans (15 oz.

each) diced tomatoes 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill 1 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (if you're spice sensitive use 1/4 tsp) 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 10 tbsp grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, divided 1/4 cup unsalted butter 3 tbsp all purpose white flour ( (for gluten free use a certified GF all purpose flour) 3 cups milk 1/4 tsp nutmeg, or more to taste Extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper You will also need Medium saucepan, 2 baking sheets, medium bowl, sauté pan, paper towels, whisk, large baking dish or pan (9x13) Prep Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour Total Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes Servings: 12 servings Kosher Key: Dairy TIME SAVING NOTES: This moussaka takes quite a bit of time to prepare, but you can cut down the prep time substantially with a few simple modifications. Buy jarred roasted peppers so you don't need to roast them yourself and buy pre-steamed or canned lentils.

Prep all of your vegetables in advance and have all of your items ready to assemble for both the moussaka and the sauce; pausing to hunt for or measure an ingredient every few minutes will increase your cooking time quite a bit. The better you are organized from the beginning, the faster the process will be! Place racks on the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Grease two baking sheets with extra virgin olive oil. Spread out the zucchini, potatoes, and 3 garlic cloves in a single layer across the baking sheets. Brush the exposed tops of the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper. Place baking sheet with potatoes on the upper rack of the oven. Place sheet with zucchini on the lower half. Roast veggies for 10 minutes. Remove sheets from oven and place them back in the oven, switching racks (zucchini and garlic on top, potatoes on bottom). Roast for about 5 more minutes, until veggies are tender and starting to turn golden brown (check the bottoms of the veggies for browning). While potatoes and zucchini are roasting, remove the stem ends from the eggplants.

Peel strips from the eggplants so that they have thin stripes of peel remaining down the sides (they will be half-peeled). Cut the eggplants into 1/2 inch slices. When potatoes and zucchini are done roasting, remove them from the oven and scoop veggies into a bowl using a slotted spatula. Take the 3 roasted garlic cloves and chop them, reserve. Re-grease the baking sheets with olive oil. Spread eggplant slices into a single layer across the two baking sheets. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the baking sheets in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, switching the baking sheets on upper and lower thirds halfway through cooking, until the slices are tender and lightly golden (check the bottom edges of slices for browning). While eggplant is roasting, place a sauté pan or skillet with high sides on the stovetop. Warm up 2 tbsp olive oil in the pan over medium high heat. Sauté diced onion until softened and translucent. Add roasted bell pepper slices and chopped roasted garlic, saute for another 2 minutes.

Add cooked lentils, diced tomatoes, fresh dill, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and 3/4 tsp salt to the pan; stir well. Reduce heat to medium and let mixture cook for about 5 more minutes until warmed through. If using fresh tomatoes, let the mixture cook for 10 minutes until tomatoes are soft. When eggplant is done roasting, remove it from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Use a slotted spatula to scoop up the eggplant slices and place in a bowl. Lightly grease your baking dish or pan. Place a single layer of half of the roasted eggplant slices on the bottom of your dish. On top of that, place a layer of half the potatoes and half the zucchini. Spread the lentil mixture evenly in a single layer across the surface. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of grated pecorino or parmesan and ½ cup crumbled feta across the top of the lentil mixture. Place the rest of the potatoes and zucchini in another layer on top of the cheese. Finish with a layer of the remaining roasted eggplant slices.

Sprinkle top of the moussaka with 2 tbsp more of grated parmesan cheese. Place moussaka in the oven for 20 minutes to bake at 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, while the moussaka is baking, make the béchamel sauce for the top of the moussaka. In a small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk flour into the melted butter till dissolved and thick. Continue to whisk for a few minutes until the flour/butter mixture turns a light sandy brown color. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Whisk in 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese. Continue whisking for a few minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat. Add ¾ tsp salt, nutmeg, and black pepper to taste. Whisk the beaten egg slowly into the sauce (drizzle the egg while whisking constantly). Remove the moussaka from the oven. Pour sauce evenly across the top of the moussaka. Sprinkle ¼ cup grated paremsan cheese on top of the sauce. Put moussaka back in the oven.

Cook for another 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the moussaka is cooked through. If the top isn't evenly browned, you can turn on the broiler and broil it for a minute or two-- keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn. Serve hot. Don’t expect it all to hold together neatly when served; it will slice more cleanly and pieces will hold together better after it has cooled. Delicious Vegetarian Moussaka Recipe with Mushroom Sauce - My Greek Dish Vegetarian Greek Moussaka Delicious Vegetarian Moussaka Recipe with Mushroom Sauce Tweet Juicy, creamy and absolutely delicious! One of the most popular and beloved traditional Greek dishes, now done vegetarian! Although vegetarian moussaka is not a popular dish in Greece (as we all know Greeks love their meat!), after a lot of requests from my vegetarian friends, I was more than excited to come up with a vegetarian moussaka recipe that could happily replace my lamb/beef moussaka on my family table! This easy to follow vegetarian moussaka recipe never fails to impress and is always a crowd pleaser. Each stage will require dirtying some pans, but I think you will agree that the end result is well worth it!

So go ahead, indulge yourself to this little sin.. Vegetarian Moussaka recipe – The secret is in the sauce To prepare a traditional Greek Moussaka recipe, luscious layers of mince beef (or lamb) are cooked in a tomato based sauce, layered with sweet eggplants and creamy béchamel sauce and baked together until golden. For this vegetarian moussaka recipe mince beef/lamb is replaced with a delicious juicy mushroom based sauce, keeping of course, all the fragrant spices of the traditional Greek moussaka that give it’s unique taste and flavour. To prepare the sauce the chopped mushrooms are sautéed in olive oil, flavoured with onions and garlic and then simmered in white wine and tomato sauce. Simply irresistible! Just remember to let the sauce simmer for a while to allow the flavours to mingle for that little bit of extra deliciousness! Vegetarian Moussaka recipe – Prepare the vegetables As in the classic moussaka, the base for this vegetarian moussaka is nothing else than fried eggplants.

Some moussaka recipes also use sliced potatoes, so if you like potatoes, try adding a layer of sliced potatoes as the first layer to this amazing dish, for some extra “comfort” during the winter months! For a lighter and healthier alternative to your vegetarian moussaka, try drizzling the aubergines (and potatoes) with some olive oil and bake them for ~20 minutes instead of frying them. Some eggplants may be bitter, so it is very important to remove the bitterness by soaking in water, rinsing, seasoning with salt and letting them stand for half an hour in a colander. Vegetarian Moussaka recipe – Prepare the Bechamel sauce Preparing the béchamel sauce is probably the trickiest part for this vegetarian moussaka recipe. To achieve the perfect texture for your béchamel sauce, make sure the milk is lukewarm and add it in the pan with the flour/butter mix just a little bit at a time whilst constantly stirring. My personal trick is to use a hand mixer with the whisk attachment to save some of the effort while stirring, and it always works at treat 🙂 The perfect béchamel sauce for your vegetarian moussaka should be smooth and creamy.

The key is to whisk the sauce constantly while pouring just a little milk at a time, allowing plenty of time for the flour to absorb the milk, so that sauce doesn’t turnt lumpy. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat in order to prevent it from burning and sticking on the bottom of the pan, but be careful to cook it enough, until you can’t taste the flour and it has a thick consistency. If you are feeling a little lazy or don’t have too much time, you can skip the whole béchamel and try topping with good quality grated cheese instead! So go ahead, give this delicious vegetarian Moussaka recipe a try and amaze your friends and family with this extra tasty hearty dish!

Base ingredients vegetable oil (for frying the eggplants) For the mushroom sauce 600-700g mushrooms, chopped (25 oz.) 1 medium red onion, finely chopped 1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped 1/4 of a cup white wine 1/4 of a cup olive oil 1 tin chopped tomatoes salt and freshly ground pepper chopped parsley (optional) 875ml milk (3 and 1/2 cups) 100g butter (3.5 ounces) Moussaka Recipe - The Daring Gourmet The Daring Gourmet Grappling Each Dish By The Horns Sign up for our newsletter! Email* Written on 14 January, 2013 Sun-kissed white stone buildings juxtaposed against a sea of sapphire blue, the sound of old church bells chiming through the air, ancient ruins, a rich and intriguing history…Greece! Whether you’ve already been there or are still waiting, planning, dreaming…why wait to enjoy Greece? Come with me and let’s travel there now as we embark on a culinary adventure to explore Greece’s national dish – Moussaka! But first, how about a brief virtual tour of breathtaking Greece?

Gorgeous, isn’t it? Okay, now let’s get back to the FOOD! Now does that look like yummy comfort food or what? But don’t fooled – it’s not shepard’s pie. That creamy stuff on top is something very, very, wonderfully different! This dish was requested by Bethany in Michigan (see my “Make a Request” link). Bethany, this is for you! I’ve developed a moussaka recipe that I am confident you are going to enjoy. Traditional moussaka uses ground lamb, most modern versions use ground beef. I took culinary license to add the additional twist of halving the ground beef with mild ground sausage. This added a wonderful flavor and dimension to the dish. I took steps to optimize the flavors every step of the way while retaining this dish’s authentic integrity. Many very traditional versions of moussaka use a layer of potatoes. Most modern versions do not. I added the potatoes in order to create a more complete meal. The potatoes were a great addition. As I was developing this recipe, as always I wrote down the ingredients and quantities I used as I went along, experimenting with the flavors and troubleshooting to prevent potential pitfalls.

In the end, I came up with a version of moussaka that is true to its traditional roots (with that one exception) and will impress any native Grecian who comes to dinner! So, Bethany in Washington State and anyone else in savoring this fine dish, now it’s your turn to recreate this in your kitchen! Let’s get started! Finely dice the onions and garlic. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and brown the ground beef and sausage until no pink remains. Add the onions and garlic and continue to cook until the onions are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, all the seasonings, the bay leaf, and the wine. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and allow it to simmer for another 10 minutes, or almost all of the liquid is absorbed. This is important or the casserole will be too watery. Allow the sauce to cool, and then stir in the beaten egg. Select two large potatoes and 2-3 eggplants, depending on size. I only ended up needing two eggplants.

Peel and slice the potatoes 1/4 inch thick. Using a potato peeler, peel strips of the eggplant peel off in a striped pattern. The peel on eggplants is very tough, even when fully cooked and it is difficult to cut through with a fork. Eggplant peel also becomes bitter. Peeling most of it off while leaving stripes yields tender eggplant that still retains a pretty appearance of the shiny purple peel. Cut the eggplants into 1/4 inch slices. Lay the slices out in single layer on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. This will help prevent the final dish from being too watery. Heat a skillet over high heat, add some of the olive oil and fry a batch of eggplant slices on both sides until lightly browned. Place the slices on fresh paper towels to soak up the oil. (Again, this is important to prevent the final dish from being too soupy). Repeat with remaining eggplant slices. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and boil the potato slices for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent them from cooking further. Set aside.

Grease a 13X9 inch casserole dish. Next we’re going to start layering. Lay the potatoes in the casserole dish, slightly overlapping them. Place a layer of eggplant slices over the potatoes, slightly overlapping them. (Yes, I know – this eggplant slices look really, REALLY bad! Somehow just the lighting – they look much better in the next picture. Let’s move on…quickly!) Next, spread the meat mixture evenly on top of the eggplant slices. Place a final layer of eggplant slices on top of the meat mixture. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Save the egg whites for a different use. We’re only using the yolks. Next we’re going to make that glorious, luxurious, can’t-say-too-many-good-things-about Bechamel Sauce! (Use this recipe to use with other foods as well. This sauce is fantastic served over cooked cauliflower, for example. Or when making it add some Cheddar cheese to it to make your own Macaroni & Cheese sauce.

These are just two of many examples – you’re going to love this sauce!) Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-high heat and whisk in the flour until no clumps remain. Continue whisking for another minute. While continually whisking, gradually add the milk. Then add the salt, nutmeg and Parmesan cheese. Whisk to break up and dissolve any clumps. Slowly bring the sauce to a boil and reduce the heat, all the while continuing to whisk to prevent the sauce from burning on the bottom. Once the sauce has thickened, continue to simmer the sauce, while whisking, for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool. Once the sauce has mostly cooled, whisk in the egg yolks. Spread the bechamel sauce evenly over the final layer of eggplant slices. Bake the moussaka uncovered in a oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes before serving. This will give it time to absorb any excess liquid. Serve and enjoy! Vegetable Moussaka recipe | Epicurious.com Advertisements Preparation Cover 2 baking sheets with paper towels.

Sprinkle both sides of eggplant rounds with salt. Arrange eggplant in single layer atop towels. Let stand 30 minutes. Position first rack in bottom third of oven and second rack in top third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Remove eggplant and paper towels from baking sheets. Pat eggplant dry. Oil same baking sheets. Brush both sides of eggplant rounds with 1/4 cup oil. Arrange in single layer on baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes. Turn eggplant and rotate pans in oven. Continue baking until tender, about 15 minutes longer. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Sauté until onion is very tender, about 12 minutes. Mix in garlic, then mushrooms. Sauté until juices evaporate, about 10 minutes. Mix in oregano and cinnamon. Add tomatoes and parsley. Cook until mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly oil 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange half of eggplant rounds in single layer in dish.

Spoon half of tomato mixture evenly over eggplant. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Repeat layering with remaining eggplant, tomato mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 1/2 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk yolks in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot sauce. Pour sauce over vegetables in dish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over sauce. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.) Bake moussaka until heated through and sauce is golden brown on top, about 45 minutes (or about 55 minutes for refrigerated moussaka). Cool 15 minutes. Exclusive Offers Greek Moussaka Recipe : Tyler Florence : Food Network 4.6 51 Sounds great but needs Bechamel <br /> pondlady51 2016-01-10T21:45:17Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Good recipe but a little too salty.

My next attempt will use goat cheese not salted feta and I would suggest leaving eggplant for at least half hour after using the kosher salt and pepper. More moisture would exude from the eggplant and a lot of the salt would drop off prior to frying. Anonymous 2015-10-04T13:12:32Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Wow. This is a crowd pleaser. My first time preparing and I used two eggplants instead of three and forgot the cinnamon, but it came together fantastically. Easy dish that will stand for a long time. Good for taking to a gathering. Guest 2013-08-05T22:18:00Z item not reviewed by moderator and published We absolutely loved it! It requires time but worth it...enjoy! The only pointer we can give would be to use more eggplant than suggested.

slschondo 2012-01-26T18:44:38Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I grilled the eggplant instead of frying it and sprinkled both feta and parmesan cheese on the top as opposed to the bread crumbs and it was delicious. It tasted even better the next day. lisd 2011-11-05T10:14:25Z item not reviewed by moderator and published AWESOME!!!!! I have made this recipe several times and it always comes out amazing. I now grill my eggplant with a lil spray oil on. Comes out even better. Guest 2011-09-10T13:42:28Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I added a few other spices because I didn't have the cinammon stick (oregano, cinammon and nutmeg mixture from another recipe). I would also maybe brown the eggplant in the oven or on the grill as opposed to frying, but it was very tasty!!!!

lizhaas 2011-03-27T10:34:34Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Awesome combo of flavors. I used ground sirloin instead of lamb. Loved the flavors together. I wish I had read one of the reviewers suggetion to add some ground cinnamon to the recipe. The cinn stick works but needs to simmer awhile to impart the flavor to the dish and I just didn't have that much time with my hungry crowd! I will make again!! Thanks Tyler! lnoir 2011-02-14T00:22:55Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Totally NOT Moussaka. Egg thickened Bechamel? Where is it? Guest 2011-02-13T11:04:30Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Great recipe, just very time consuming. foodconnossieur517 2010-12-03T21:21:49Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Great meal! Loved it! The prep time was long, but tasted great.

jollydv 2010-11-18T19:48:01Z item not reviewed by moderator and published The outcome was perfect! However, I have to say the most annoying part was grilling all that eggplant. Jean F. 2010-08-29T13:59:27Z item not reviewed by moderator and published THIS RECIPE IS A GREAT SUBSTITUTION FOR REGULAR LASAGNA. IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH THE EXTRA EFFORT!!!!!! kathy f. 2010-04-15T19:49:32Z item not reviewed by moderator and published STILL MORE PRAISE FOR ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITES. AGREE WITH KAYLA, AN AMAZING DEPTH OF FLAVOR. YES, THERE IS PREP TIME INVOLVED, BUT ITS WORTH IT. MUST ADMIT, I REALLY LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THE SLICED LEMONS IN THE DISH .. ANOTHER WINNER FROM TYLER!

ENJOY HIS SHOW SO MUCH BECAUSE HE IS LIKE A TORNADO IN THE KITCHEN, DOESN'T WASTE A MINUTE AND DOESN'T BORE ME WITH 'BACK STORIES'. Mev R. 2010-03-14T12:36:32Z item not reviewed by moderator and published My fiance and I are self-proclaimed foodies, and we loved this dish! It has amazing depth of flavor, and even though it took a full two hours of prep, it was well worth the effort. I used only 1.3 lbs of lamb and substituted ground turkey for the rest, which worked very well. I also cooked the dish in a smaller, deeper casserole pan, which created more layers. I took the advice of one of the other reviewers and made my last layer a meat layer, which allowed the bread crumbs to adhere more effectively to the casserole. Truly, this was an exceptional dish! Kayla H. 2009-12-11T19:14:34Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I really enjoyed this recipe. I did make a couple of minor adjustments.

I added some fresh mint about 2tbls and a 1/2 of a bulb of fresh fennel / julianned. The other thing i did is 2 layers of eggplant alternating with the meat, that made my top layer the meat mixture. I put the rest of the cheese and breadcrumbs on top of that. It came out perfect. It is somewhat time consuming frying all of the eggplant but WELL WORTH IT. Pour a big glass of red wine put on the "MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING " movie and ENJOY! becky w. 2009-07-15T22:12:17Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Moussaka needs bechamel to be spectacular. This was tasty but I'm docking it a star because I've made better ones. Peace. Tom G. 2009-06-18T22:41:44Z item not reviewed by moderator and published The sliced lemons balance things out perfectly. Could be a bit too savory for me. The lemon slices just brought everything together. This goes in the keeper file. Wonderful recipe. Alice M.

2009-04-30T20:22:37Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I didn't give it 5 stars simply because I reserve that rating for truly outstanding recipes. However, this is certainly a keeper. I spent a bit more time making sure the eggplant would not be soggy. So I sprinkled some salt, let it suck water out and wiped the eggplant with paper towels. Also the bread crumbs on the top don't really adhere to the rest of the dish. Not that it ruins it in any way but one might wanna try to put some butter on top or reserve a bit of cheese. Tyler has solid recipes. I usually go by his name expecting a good result. Another success. John D. 2009-03-22T01:51:38Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Tyler, come on! Why did you leave the bechamel sauce out of this recipe? Good start, but Greek Moussaka has to have bechamel sauce. I did everything this recipe called for but covered with the sauce. Winner.

This recipe takes a LONG time to prepare but the results are great (if you use a bechamel!!!). Christian M. 2009-02-19T08:14:17Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This recipe is excellent and all the ingredients work so well together. We love the feta cheese in place of the bechamel sauce one sees in so many recipes. jfcoghlan 2008-12-17T01:23:50Z item not reviewed by moderator and published We're in deer country so I was looking for a ground lamb recipe I could use for ground venison. Of course, I would look no further than Tyler. I had to tailor this recipe to suit the taste of our 6 year old. I used only 1/2 (4 oz) of the feta cheese than was called for. Being an Italian family, I used 3xs the amount of garlic...served the dish with sourdough bread, a red wine, and it was on! Tyler has such a sophisticated taste, I generally look no further than his collection. You rock, as usually!!! MyHusbandsWoman R.

2008-11-26T12:58:03Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This recipe was so easy to make, and I turned out a simply delicious dish that my whole family loved. medieval wench 2008-08-24T00:12:50Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I wanted to add some comments on this recipe. I have made it many times, and love it. I have always loved Moussaka, but the original recipe has lots of callories. I had RNY bariatric surgery and everything I eat has to be OK for my "pouch", and life. Tyler's recipe fit's the bill. Lower in calories, with a lot more protein. I have given this recipe to my bariatric group and they love it also. Which....means....anyone, on any kind of diet (except vegetarian) should enjoy it! CORALIE S. 2008-07-24T16:23:28Z item not reviewed by moderator and published delicious! i used ground turkey instead of lamb... didn't do the cinnamon.

the eggplant soaks up a lot of oil so the second time i made this dish i did a trick my aunt taught me. i cut the eggplant and salted them and let them sit in water for about 15 minutes. they become soft and then i squeezed the liquid out of them and proceeded with the recipe. i also used fresh tomatoes the second time but it's better with the whole canned tomatoes. i grew up eating moussaka and this is by far my favorite version. good luck and enjoy! natasha m. 2008-05-29T23:03:50Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I am a huge eggplant lover and this recipe delivers! I wouldn't change much except I add some fresh ground nutmeg and a little ground cinnamon to the sauce. In addition, I found that grilling the eggplant adds a nice smokey flavor without the fat of frying in oil. Lastly, if you have vegetarian friends, try adding two packages of Yves "meat crumbles" instead of the meat and even you won't believe that it's vegetarian. Nice recipe! david s.

2008-01-26T09:00:01Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I made this for my cooking club get together with a "My Big Fat Greek Dinner Theme" and it was a huge hit! One person asked how I got the lamb to taste so good. This was the first time I've cooked a dish like this and really enjoyed the results. It was very easy to prepare and have ready to go in the oven as guests arrived. beestro 2008-01-22T23:51:04Z item not reviewed by moderator and published i tried this recipe for a greek themed party. what a hit! everyone loved it. i did make one change. many of our guests dont eat lamb. so I subsitued ground turkey for the lamb. additionally, it takes a little time to fry all the eggplant and meat. so give yourself some leeway. monique d. 2007-12-17T14:57:09Z item not reviewed by moderator and published My husband is not a big fan of lamb so I made this dish with a mixture of ground pork and chicken.

We both loved it! I especially loved the lemon slices in the dish. This is a keeper!! Caryl H. 2007-08-29T13:22:01Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Even though this does not actually taste like the Moussaka that I had at the Greek restaurant, this dish is still extremely good! It is quite addicting and I definetely will make it again. Dwor 2007-08-07T00:13:51Z item not reviewed by moderator and published i cater part time and was asked to make this dish for the first time. I nailed it and everyone ask me what this dish was after eating, telling me how great it was. whew you saved me from sure disaster with this recipe. thank you lori j. 2007-07-27T16:30:13Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I'm making this recipe tonight for the umpteenth time. I was never certain if the lemon should be sliced whole or after it has been peeled.

The moussaka tastes a tad strong if the whole lemon slices are left in; however, they add to the attractiveness of its presentation. I think tonight I'll just try using the juice of the lemon. I also prefer to use lean ground beef; ground lamb is not always easy to find here in Paraguay, and besides, here in the Southern Cone we have about the finest beef in the world. So Tyler, when are you coming down to Asuncion to do a rescue show? I know I could use the help! STOCKER B. 2007-05-05T15:57:40Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I had my two best friends and their mother over for dinner and made this recipe. It was absolutely delicious and there were rave reviews! The only critique I have is that the eggplant frying took longer than expected. I'm thinking of barbequing or roasting them next time. That way, more could be done at one time. Kathy S. 2007-03-22T12:19:55Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Far better than any restaurant. I used extra feta and parmesan.

I mixed lamb and ground turkey which worked perfect. Arlene M. 2007-02-19T09:53:02Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This dish was so delicious, I couldn't believe it and I'm not a great fan of lamb. This was awesome!! Rita T. 2007-02-12T11:59:44Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I caught most of this on the show &amp; thought it sounded great! I was right! Like others I used ground turkey, instead of the lamb. It did take quite a bit more olive oil for the eggplant and a lot longer to prepare than I expected. My 13 yr. old daughter helped me w/ the whole thing!Great bonding time, so I didn't mind the amount of time it took. The flavors were great and different than what we're used to. I've tried many recipes from the food network, but I signed up just to rate this one! I'll be looking for more recipes of this nature! Thanks Tyler! You're awesome! Stephanie A.

2007-02-07T19:41:57Z item not reviewed by moderator and published being one who loves International food this has got to be one of the best versions I've seen bj h. 2006-07-22T19:38:52Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I like lamb but the flavor of the ground lamb in this dish was so overpowering that I threw the whole thing in the garbage; it was just too strong and inedible! Perhaps this dish would be better with ground beef. Ana M. 2006-07-14T17:14:03Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This is without a doubt the best Moussaka I have ever had!!! I can't wait to make it again! Carolyn M. 2006-03-20T11:54:29Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This recipe takes quite a bit of time to prepare. It seems to take a lot of olive oil and the ingredients were somewhat expensive, but the result was so worth it.

We used turkey instead of lamb but otherwise followed the recipe to a T and it was wonderful. Of course we took out the lemons and the cinnomon stick out before baking. I really enjoy Tyler Florence recipes! TIFFANY I. 2006-03-15T09:08:37Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This is one of my favorite recipes from food network. It never fails to please. I've even made if for a group of 50 at my church and they loved and have requested it again since. It's easy to make and the best to eat. My husband and I use ground turkey instead of Lamb and think it's great. Stacy S. 2006-03-03T21:55:05Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Very tasty, and takes only 1 pan for preparation and one for baking! This is an easy meal to prepare, and I didn't miss the traditional bechamel at all. The cinnamon and lemon add a nice flavor, though I'd take them both out before layering. HEATHER W.

2005-11-09T16:14:57Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I made this dish for my future in-laws. They liked it alot. I spent at least an hour making it though. There were alot of leftovers too. My future father-in-law cut up the remainder and spread it on top of pizza dough. It made delicious moussaka pizza. KYLIE B. 2005-07-15T11:09:48Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Excellent, each bite brought out a different flavor. MIKI M. 2005-03-18T16:10:55Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This dish was easy to make. I thought it tasted too much like lasagna - only much richer. I would not make it again. STACEY C. 2005-03-08T03:56:17Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This was my first attempt at Moussaka. It was easy and MUCH BETTER than the ones I have had a local resturants.

Paired with a Greek Salad it was a family favorite! PAM R. 2004-10-31T15:06:06Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This is a fabulous recipe. The lemon pops in your mouth and all the flavors blend nicely. Thanks again. jrosejames 2004-10-11T09:59:36Z item not reviewed by moderator and published My family &amp; I truly enjoyed this recipe! The blend of flavors was wonderful &amp; you do not even miss the bechamel sauce! MARIA L. 2004-08-05T15:43:51Z item not reviewed by moderator and published I saw the recipe done on TV and it seemed pretty straight-forward, do I tried it at home and it turned out good. The meat sauce was similar to a pasta sauce with the exception of lemons and cinnamon. Unfortunately, it was still very oily. The recipe did not specify if I should leave the lemon slices and cinnamon stick in the casserole while cooking in the oven. It is worth trying though as it got my husband to eat eggplants which he hates.

M J. 2004-06-09T23:23:20Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Delicious and easy. Devon Rae 2004-06-09T16:15:28Z item not reviewed by moderator and published This recipe is off the hook!! If you don't know what that means try it and see. mastersheph_148 2004-06-08T11:17:39Z item not reviewed by moderator and published Moussaka can actually be made with or without the Béchamel sauce depending on the region the recipe oriented from. It varies from household to household just like many cultural dishes. Stefanie C. 2014-01-31T05:27:54Z item not reviewed by moderator and published On TV Grilled Eggplant Moussaka Recipe - Allrecipes.com KieraH 9/2/2008 This was delicious! I made three changes, which I don't normally do, but wanted to make this recipe easier. First, I roasted the vegetables in the oven.

Caoted with cooking spray...easy. I a... Lauren 12/14/2008 I thought this was delicious! It was time consuming, but making this moussaka was quite enjoyable for a rainy evening with the place to myself. I brushed the veggies with olive oil and baked t... greenishthumb 9/23/2011 This is a good moussaka recipe but bland and a bit cumbersome. I used only 2 lg eggplant, no zucchini. Vegetable Changes:I sliced the eggplant in to 1/4 in slices, spritzed with olive oil spra... Angela156 11/21/2009 I can't praise this recipe enough! I made it exactly as written because I wanted to get an authentic flavor. What I got was a masterpiece! I preferred the grilled vegetables to fried. My fam... XXXNAUGHTY 12/10/2008 Wow, this is really, really good. This is my first time making moussaka and it turned out very good. I used 4 red potatoes, 2 zucchini, and leftover grilled eggplant that my mom cooked. I als...

B.Hawkins 7/29/2009 I have made Moussaka a few times before....and I have been hesitant to make it for the last couple of years, because it is such a heavy dish. Your idea of grilling the veggies is just what I nee... Mr Science 10/23/2007 Tastes good but I did not understand the instruction in step 4 that said "whisk in 1/4 cup of the thickened milk" How do we get here? I just put in the milk and it does taste good.

Question: Which vegetable is used to layer a traditional Greek moussaka?
Answer: AUBERGINE