Classic Moussaka

Moussaka takes a while, but almost none of it's hard work. Roasting the aubergine instead of frying saves a litre of oil and tastes cleaner. The cinnamon in the meat sauce is what makes it taste Greek rather than like a lasagne without pasta.

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil, spread them on two trays and roast for 25 minutes, turning once, until golden and floppy.

   For this step

   • ⅓ cup (72 g) olive oil
2. 2

   Meanwhile fry the onion in a little oil for 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, cinnamon and oregano, cook a minute, then brown the lamb hard, breaking it up.

   For this step

   • 500 g minced lamb
   • 1 large onion
   • 3 garlic cloves
   • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
   • 2 tsp dried oregano
3. 3

   Add the tomatoes and half the salt, then simmer uncovered for 25 minutes until thick and no longer watery. A wet meat sauce makes a sloppy moussaka.

   For this step

   • 1½ cups (400 g) chopped tomatoes
   • 1½ tsp fine salt
4. 4

   For the béchamel, melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, then add the milk a splash at a time, whisking, until smooth and thick. Take it off the heat.

   For this step

   • 2½ cups (600 g) milk
   • ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
   • ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
5. 5

   Beat in the nutmeg, most of the parmesan, the rest of the salt, and finally the egg yolks. The yolks are what set the top into a custardy layer rather than a sauce.

   For this step

   • ½ cup (50 g) parmesan
   • 2 large egg yolks
   • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
   • 1½ tsp fine salt
6. 6

   Layer aubergine, meat, aubergine, then pour the béchamel over and scatter the last parmesan. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 40 minutes until browned and bubbling. Rest 20 minutes before cutting.

   For this step

   • ½ cup (50 g) parmesan

Tap a step to check it off. Your place is saved on this device.

Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

More to cook

Savoury Mains Cheesy Baked Ziti Saucy pasta baked under a blanket of melted mozzarella. Savoury Mains Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese A proper roux-based cheese sauce, baked with a crunchy top. Savoury Mains One-Pan Chicken and Vegetable Traybake Chicken thighs roasted with potatoes and peppers on one tray.