Moussaka for the Ages

Moussaka — layers of potato, eggplant and tomatoey lamb sauce, blanketed with béchamel sauced and baked — is one of the great dishes of Greece. And when it’s carefully made, it’s one of the great dishes anywhere.

Traditionally, the eggplant is fried — and that is certainly wonderful. But we found that roasting slices of eggplant resulted in moussaka that’s even more delicious, as the eggplant melts into the other ingredients. It’s also a lot easier and less messy to manage. Best of all, because the roasted slices are so tender, you can fit them, puzzle-piece-like, into the pan so that you have a very even layer of eggplant, and no one gets bites without it.

As we wrote about in a December 2020 story about the dish and its origins, we were inspired by a recipe from the great Greek food writer Aglaia Kremezi, who added yogurt to the bechamel; we love how it lightens it up and adds a beautiful tang. (Thank you for the excellent innovation, Aglaia!)

To make this, you’ll need a 9 1/2 by 9 1/2-inch square baking pan that’s at least 2 1/2 inches deep. Nine 1/2 by 9 1/2 is the measurement on top, but the surface on the bottom is usually smaller. If you can, use one that’s at least 8 by 8 inches on the bottom. A slightly smaller one (7 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches on the bottom) will also work, but it will be very full. If so, you may want to place it on a rimmed baking sheet before putting it in the oven.

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

Ingredients

2 or 3 eggplants, about 2 pounds total

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided, plus additional to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus additional for oiling the baking dish

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes)

1/2 cup red wine

3 cups canned diced tomatoes, including their juice

2 bay leaves

For the YOGURT béchamel

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground white pepper

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3/4 cup full-fat plain yogurt (regular or Greek)

6 ounces grated white cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment. Trim the ends off the eggplants and peel them in vertical stripes, leaving half the peel on the eggplants, as shown in photo. Slice them into rounds about 5/8 inches thick. Place the rounds in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 10 or so good grinds of black pepper, drizzle over them 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, and toss well, coating the eggplant slices as evenly as possible. Lay the eggplant slices on the parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until they are tender and golden, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool on the baking sheet.

2. While the eggplant is roasting, parboil the potato slices for the bottom layer. Place them in a medium saucepan, cover with salted cold water, bring to a boil over high heat and cook about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water briefly to stop the cooking. Use about a teaspoon of olive oil to lightly oil the baking dish, then lay the potato slices over the bottom, lapping them over each other a bit as necessary to fit them. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

3. Now let’s make the lamb sauce. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, another minute. Push the onions and garlic to the edges of the pan, add the ground lamb, raise heat to high, and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook the lamb, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, till it has lost its pinkness and it somewhat browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the lamb with the cinnamon, allspice and Aleppo pepper and cook another minute, stir to combine, and cook another minute. Add the red wine and cook, scraping up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the wine is nearly evaporated, about 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, add the bay leaves, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The the sauce starts looking dry while it’s cooking, add 1/4 cup of water; you want it to be saucy. Check the consistency when it’s finished cooking; if it’s a little dry, stir in 1/2 cup water. Adjust seasoning, adding salt and/or Aleppo pepper as necessary. Set aside.

4. Turn the oven to 400 degrees. While the sauce is cooking, lay eggplant slices in one layer over the potatoes. In order to fit them together as closely as possible, you’ll want to squish them a bit so they’re misshapen (as shown in the photo).

5. Remove the bay leaves from the lamb sauce, and pour the sauce over the eggplant slices, distributing it evenly. Set aside while you make the béchamel. (Or if you’re quick, you can make the béchamel while the sauce is still cooking.) Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, watching closely so it doesn’t burn or color. Sprinkle the flour over the butter, and whisk it together. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently with the whisk, so the flour loses its raw taste. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking as you pour. Raise the heat to medium-high, bring the liquid to a simmer, reduce heat to medium, and cook stirring frequently, until the sauce is about as thick as mayonnaise, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the salt, white pepper and nutmeg.

6. Stir the yogurt into the béchamel, then stir in the cheddar. Taste, and adjust seasoning. It should be delicious. Pour evenly over the lamb sauce in the baking pan. Bake on the middle rack of the oven (place it on a rimmed baking sheet if it’s very full) for 25 to 30 minutes, until the béchamel is golden-brown in spots. If the béchamel hasn’t browned, you can either turn the oven to broil and broil for 2 or 3 minutes, or leave it in the oven if it was almost browned.

7. Remove the moussaka from the oven and let it rest and settle for 15 minutes before serving.