Mousakas

Mousakas is one of the most iconic Greek dishes.  It is found in tavernas throughout Greece but does vary from place to place.  In many areas it contains potatoes.  This recipe, however, there is no potato; it is kept pure with masses of aubergine.

Preparation Time: 20 Mins

Cooking Time: 1 Hr

Total Time: 1½ Hrs

Ingredients

For 8 servings…

8                    Aubergines

                      Salt          

                      Olive oil    

340 gms          Lamb  - minced       

1½                 Onions  - minced      

1 handful         Parsley  - chopped    

2 tbs               Tomato juice           

                      Pepper      

10 gms            Breadcrumbs  - fresh 

60 cl               Béchamel sauce       

For the Béchamel

480 ml             Milk         

1                    Bay leaf     

1 thick slice       Onion       

1 blade            Mace        

30 gms            Butter       

40 gms            Flour        

                      Pepper      

                      Salt          

                      Nutmeg  - grated     

2                    Egg yolks   

To sprinkle on the top

                      Breadcrumbs  - dried 

                      Parmesan cheese  - grated      

                      Butter       

Method

To prepare the aubergines…

Peel and slice the aubergines, sprinkle them with salt and leave between two large plates until all the water is drained from them.  Wipe them dry.  Heat plenty of olive oil in a deep pan and fry the aubergine slices until brown on both sides.  Take them from the pan and leave them to drain.

To prepare the béchamel…

Gently heat the milk with the bay leaf, onion and mace.  Remove from the heat just as the milk boils, cover the pan and set aside for at least 30 minutes.  Strain the milk and discard the flavouring ingredients. Melt the butter over a low heat in a heavy based saucepan.  Add the flour and stir briskly until the mixture is smoothly blended, without allowing it to change colour.  Gradually stir in the milk and bring to the boil, beating well to prevent any lumps forming.  Season with salt and pepper and a little grated nutmeg.  Simmer the sauce gently for 3-5 minutes, stirring from time to time.

To assemble and cook the mousakas…

Pour off most of the oil from the pan in which the aubergines were cooked and lightly fry the minced meat and the onions until brown, then add the parsley, tomato juice, salt and pepper.  Simmer for about ½ hour, add the breadcrumbs and stir everything in the pan together.

Grease a large, square baking dish with oil and cover the bottom with fried aubergine. Spread this with half the meat and onion mixture; add another layer of aubergine and spread this with the remaining meat and onion.

Beat the egg yolks into the béchamel sauce and pour this over the meat.  Sprinkle generously with breadcrumbs and grated cheese, add a few slivers of butter and bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for 30 minutes.  The top should be brown and like a crust.  Serve hot.

Wine recommendations

Conventional

     Côtes du Rhône

Interesting

     Cahors

     Chinon

     Côtes du Luberon

     Fitou