Beef Moussaka
Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Beef Moussaka is a cheesy, beefy, eggplant dish that is traditional in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. It’s almost like an eggplant lasagna without the pasta! With a layer of sharp parmesan sauce and savory meat nestled between tender eggplant, Beef Moussaka is a beautiful mix of flavors and textures. This is a delightful yet simple way to mix up your weeknight dinner routine.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.
Cook the ground beef and chopped onion until the beef is browned, breaking the beef up with a wooden spoon as you cook, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, red wine, parsley, oregano, and ground cinnamon.
Simmer the mixture until thickened, stirring every so often, about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a separate medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
Add the flour and stir vigorously for about 1 minute.
Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly until smooth.
Bring the mixture to a boil to create a roux, about 2 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs.
Slowly beat a small amount of the milk mixture into the eggs to temper them.
Return the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan with the milk mixture.
Bring the contents to a boil while whisking until a custard is created.
Remove the custard from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan.
Season the custard with salt and pepper to taste.
Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
Arrange half of the sliced eggplant on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Season the eggplant in the dish with salt and pepper.
Spread the meat sauce over the top of the eggplant in the dish.
Layer on the the hot custard.
Layer on the remaining 1/2 of the eggplant rounds.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of the parmesan over the top of the dish.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
Uncover the dish and bake until the cheese starts to bubble and brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the Beef Moussaka from oven and serve.
