Greek Moussaka

Servings7
CuisineGreek

Ingredients

  • 1 kgeggplant (sliced into 1 cm rounds)
  • 60 mlolive oil (for eggplant)
  • Salt
  • 30 mlolive oil (for meat sauce)
  • 1onion (large, finely chopped)
  • 3garlic cloves (minced)
  • 500 gground lamb (or beef)
  • 400 gcanned crushed tomatoes
  • 30 gtomato paste
  • 125 mlred wine
  • 1cinnamon stick
  • 5 mldried oregano
  • Black pepper
  • 75 gbutter
  • 75 gall-purpose flour
  • 750 mlwhole milk (warmed)
  • 2egg yolks
  • 80 ggrated Parmesan or Kefalotyri cheese
  • Nutmeg (pinch)
  • White pepper

Instructions

  1. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, season with salt. Bake at 200°C for 25 minutes until tender and golden. Set aside.

  2. Heat oil in a large pan. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add meat, cook until browned. Add tomatoes, paste, wine, cinnamon, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer 30 minutes until thick. Remove cinnamon stick.

  3. Melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 2 minutes. Gradually add warm milk, whisking constantly. Simmer until thick (5-7 minutes). Remove from heat, whisk in egg yolks, cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

  4. In a 23×33 cm baking dish, layer half the eggplant, all the meat sauce, remaining eggplant, then pour béchamel on top.

  5. Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe by

Paul Nagle

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Beverage pairings

Wine

Yalumba Barossa Shiraz

Medium-bodied red

$20–$28

Rich dark fruit and spice complement the lamb and cinnamon; earthy notes match the eggplant. Classic pairing for Greek meat dishes.

Mount Langi Ghiran Grampians Shiraz

Medium-bodied red

$18–$25

Peppery and structured with good acidity to cut through the béchamel richness and lamb fat.

Tyrrell's Vat 1 Hunter Semillon

Dry white

$15–$22

Crisp acidity and mineral notes provide contrast to the creamy sauce and richness of the dish.

Beer

Little Creatures Pale Ale

Pale ale

Hoppy bitterness cuts through the béchamel richness; fruity notes complement the lamb and tomato.

Stone & Wood Pacific Ale

Pale ale

Balanced malt and hop profile with citrus notes that refresh between bites of the layered dish.

Non-alcoholic

Sparkling water with lemon

Clean acidity cuts through richness; enhances flavours without competing.

Greek mountain tea or oregano tea

Aromatic herbal tea echoes the oregano in the dish; warm and complementary.

Fresh lemon juice and water

Classic Mediterranean pairing that refreshes the palate between bites.

Ingredients

  • 1kgeggplant(sliced into 1 cm rounds)
  • 60mlolive oil(for eggplant)
  • salt
  • 30mlolive oil(for meat sauce)
  • 1onion(large, finely chopped)
  • 3garlic cloves(minced)
  • 500gground lamb(or beef)
  • 400gcanned crushed tomatoes
  • 30gtomato paste
  • 125mlred wine
  • 1cinnamon stick
  • 5mldried oregano
  • black pepper
  • 75gbutter
  • 75gall-purpose flour
  • 750mlwhole milk(warmed)
  • 2egg yolks
  • 80ggrated Parmesan or Kefalotyri cheese
  • nutmeg(pinch)
  • white pepper