Moussaka is believed to have originated in the Ottoman Empire and was also popularised in Greece. This is a much more exciting, aromatic alternative to lasagne.
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Moussaka is believed to have originated in the Ottoman Empire and was also popularised in Greece. This is a much more exciting, aromatic alternative to lasagne.
YIELDS
4 Servings
for the mince
40 g butter
600 g fatty beef or lamb mince
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
400 g tin whole peeled tomatoes, blended
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup beef stock
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup chopped mint
2 tbsp chopped parsley
for the aubergines
3 large aubergines, sliced lengthways, about 1cm thick
a little melted butter
for the topping
500 ml cream, reduced by half and seasoned with salt and pepper
100 g parmesan, grated
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
In a medium sized pot, melt the butter and add the onions and garlic. Gently fry them until they are soft.
Add the mince and fry with the onions until it is browned. Keep stirring the mince to make sure that “meat balls” don’t form. You want it to be properly separated.
Add the cinnamon and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes, wine and stock. Cook the mince on a medium heat for about 30 minutes until the liquid has reduced and it is a thick, meaty sauce. Season well with salt and pepper and stir in the chopped parsley and mint.
While the mince is cooking, lay the aubergines on a baking tray and brush well with melted butter. Season well with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 20 minutes until they are soft.
To make the moussaka, grab a lasagne dish and layer the aubergines between the mince. We try and get at least three layers of aubergines. Make sure you start and finish with the mince. If you want to make this a treat dish, you can also layer some crumbled feta cheese in with the aubergine.
Top with the reduced cream and the grated parmesan.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until it is bubbling and golden.
Serve with a fresh Greek salad.