an 11 x 14-inch baking pan (28 x 35.5cm), a large roasting pan, an extra-deep 9 x 13 inch pan (2½ or 3 inches deep – inside measurement), or two 9 x 9 inch square pans (23 x 23 cm)
a large cookie sheet for broiling the eggplants, plus parchment paper cut to fit into the bottom of the pan
Ingredients
Eggplant Layer:
4mediumeggplants~1 lb/454 gms each (4 pounds/1.8kg total)
¼cup(60ml) olive oil
Meat Layer:
¼cup(60ml) olive oil
2mediumonions, finely minced(about 2 cups)
4largecloves garlic, finely minced
2lbs(900gms) lean ground meat (lamb, beef, or a combination of both)
¾cup(105gms) sweet rice flour (or all-purpose flour for non gluten-free)
5cups(1.2 litres) milk 2% is fine
1teaspoonfine sea salt
½teaspoonnutmeg
¼teaspoonwhite pepper
1cup(100gms) grated Parmesan cheese, dividedideally you’d use Greek kefalotyri cheese if you can find it
2largeeggs
Instructions
Prepare the Eggplants:
These can be broiled 2 to 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated until assembly time. Bring back to room temperature before assembling.
Preheat the broiler and arrange a rack in the top position of the oven, so it is about 4 inches (10 cm) from the heating element.
Trim off the stem end and peel away 4 or 5 strips lengthwise down each of the eggplants with a vegetable peeler or paring knife (the peel can be tough – this will make sure it is easier to cut through the moussaka when serving). Slice one of the eggplants into half-inch (1 cm) thick rounds. You’ll only slice enough to fill the pan you are using to broil the eggplants, as they will brown if you cut too many slices ahead.
Cut a sheet of parchment paper so it just fits into the bottom of a large cookie sheet (trim off any standing-up edges). Lay a single layer of eggplant slices onto the paper – cut more slices from the second eggplant to fill the pan. Pour ¼ cup of olive oil into a small bowl or cup, and use some of it to lightly brush the tops of the eggplant slices. Broil the eggplants until nicely browned (3 to 5 minutes – it will depend on your oven). SET A TIMER! Check at 3 minutes. It’s easy to forget about them! When they are brown enough, remove the pan from the oven, flip over the slices, and brush the tops again lightly with olive oil. Return the pan to the broiler and broil the second side til brown (another 3 to 5 minutes).
Repeat until all the eggplant slices have been broiled on both sides. If you use the oil sparingly, it will be enough. If you run out, use a little bit extra.
*Alternately, you can fry the eggplant slices in a skillet, using a little bit of the oil for each batch. You may need more than ¼ cup of oil for frying them. Set the fried eggplant slices onto paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Prepare the Meat Mixture:
This can be prepared 2 to 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated until assembly time. Bring back to room temperature, or warm slightly so the oil is melted, before assembling.
Finely chop the onions and garlic (I like to use my mini-chopper). Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed, wide dutch oven or deep skillet. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent and golden, 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the ground meat and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking up any large chunks as it cooks.
If using canned whole tomatoes, break them up by squishing each tomato in your hands before adding it to the meat mixture.
Add the rest of the ingredients for the meat layer and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is nice and thick. It is ready when most of the liquid has evaporated and only the oil is left bubbling at the bottom – if you pull a spatula through the mixture, it will leave an open track that doesn’t ooze back in to fill up very quickly; only the oil will ooze into the track. Remove the bay leaves.
Prepare the Béchamel Layer:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the sweet rice flour (or regular flour) and stir until it is all moistened with butter. It will be dry and clumpy. Add about a quarter cup (50 to 60 ml) of milk and cook and stir until it is all incorporated. Keep adding about that much milk at a time, cooking and stirring after each addition until all the milk is used up. After a few additions of milk, switch to using a whisk and whisk constantly as you add the milk. If you keep whisking and adding the milk in small amounts, you will have a nice smooth béchamel (white sauce).
Add the salt nutmeg and white pepper, whisking them in til smooth. Let the sauce cook and bubble for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove the béchamel from the heat and stir in half of the grated parmesan cheese. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl, then temper the eggs by adding a big ladleful of the hot béchamel sauce, a little at a time, while whisking constantly. Add about a cup of sauce to the eggs gradually. (This warms up and dilutes the eggs so they don’t curdle when you add them to the hot sauce.)
Now pour the tempered eggs into the béchamel sauce in a thin stream, whisking constantly while you add them. Cover and set aside til needed.
To Assemble the Moussaka:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease the bottom of whatever pan you are using with a little olive oil. (See EQUIPMENT above.)
Layer half of the eggplant slices in the bottom of the pan, overlapping them slightly if needed to make them fit.
Add half of the meat mixture, spread it smooth.
Layer the remaining half of the eggplant slices on top of the meat.
Add the remaining half of the meat mixture, packing it down and spreading the top smooth to make an even surface for the béchamel sauce.
Pour the béchamel sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining half cup of parmesan cheese.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and golden. (If using two smaller pans, you will only need to bake them for about 35 minutes.)
Leave the moussaka to cool for at least 30 minutes (preferably 45 minutes if it’s baked in one large pan) so the béchamel can set and it slices nicely into even squares.
Serves 8 to 10.
Notes
We like a combination of half ground lamb and half ground beef, but either meat alone works fine, too.The size of pan used here is important. This is a large recipe (feeds 8 to 10 people). It's best to use a large 11 x 14-inch pan or large roasting pan which has deeper sides. If you use a regular height 9 x 13-inch pan, it will not be quite big enough and the moussaka may bubble over. You can also make the moussaka in two 9-inch square pans, and freeze one (either baked or unbaked) if desired.The recipe is easy to halve, but while you're making the mess anyway, I recommend making the whole recipe in two smaller pans and freezing half, or make it in a large pan and freeze leftover portions for later meals. If baking directly from frozen, add an extra 30 minutes to the baking time and bake the moussaka covered, then uncovered for the last 30 minutes.Plan for enough time to allow the moussaka to cool for 30 to 45 minutes after baking before you cut it, so the topping sets and slices smoothly.