Well before I married into my Greek-Australian family, my parents had long embraced Greece and its culture. For more than 20 years my dad worked in a Sydney based Greek-Australian family business. We were all part of the family and as a child I remember visiting dad at work around coffee time and being offered an array of wonderful treats from kourambiedes to melomakarona by my Greek work aunties.
My mum was quick to adopt Greek cuisine which rapidly became part of our family meals at home, often being recipes being shared from from dad’s ‘work family’. One of mum’s favourite recipes and the star of many 1970s dinner parties was ‘moussaka’. Forget any dodgy ‘tourist’ moussaka you might have had on holiday in Greece. Home made moussaka is always the best and a real treat when cooler weather arrives and the last of the autumn eggplants are still available at the market.
Moussaka
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants sliced thinly
- 1/4 cup 60ml olive oil
- 1 onion chopped finely
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 kg minced beef or veal
- 400 g fresh tomatoes grated
- 1 wine glass 100ml of white wine
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt pepper and chill puree to taste
- 1/4 cup 20g finely grated percorino cheese
- 100 g butter
- 100 g plain flour
- 2 tea cups 500ml milk
- Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
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Place eggplant in colander and sprinkle all over with salt. Let it stand for 30 minutes. Rinse under cold water, drain well and pat dry with absorbent paper. Heat olive oil in large frying pan, then cook eggplant slices until browned both sides. Set aside and drain on absorbent paper.
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Using the same pan, cook the onion until fragrant and then add the garlic, cooking for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the beef or veal and cook stirring to break down the meat and it takes some colour. Next, add wine and allow the alcohol to cook off. Add the tomatoes, chilli puree (if using) and season. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until all of the liquid has evaporated and you are left with a thick meat sauce.
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180ºC. Using around an 8-cup baking dish, rub it well with olive oil. Set aside.
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Make the béchamel sauce. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add flour and cook stirring continuously until mixture thickens into a ‘roux’. Gradually add milk and continue stirring until the sauce thickens Stir through a pinch of nutmeg and a handful of pecorino and set aside.
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Using the oil baking dish, place the cooled eggplant in layers over the base if the dish and then spread the cooled meat sauce over the eggplants. Finish by pouring over the cooled béchamel sauce over the meat sauce and sprinkle with more pecorino. Cook, uncovered, in oven about 40 minutes or until top browns lightly. Moussaka is always best to let it stand for an hour or two before serving warm, this way it will keep it’s layers neatly.
