Mousakka Recipe

Now that Aubergines are affordable etc. and fec2003 asking for recipe, I thought I'd put this in a thread of it's own. This how they make it in Greece! (Lamb mince is the norm but some people use beef (!))

Here's a genuine Greek Mousakka recipe (Chrissa Paradissis)

2 1/2 lbs. medium size aubergines (2 large)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 lbs. minced meat
1/2 cup white wine
3 peeled and chopped tomatoes (or 1 can)
Chopped Parsley
Salt and pepper
2 heaped Tbs toasted breadcrumbs
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
Olive oil for frying. Breadcrumbs.
2 egg yolks. 1 egg.
3 cups bechamel sauce
1 cup grated cheese
pinch nutmeg.

Cut aubergines in slices 1/2 in. thick. Sprinkle with salt and leave aside for 1 hour.
Saute onion with butter until soft. Add mince meat and 4 Tbs water. Cook stirring with a fork to break up mince. Add wine, tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer covered, for 45 mins. Remove from heat, add toasted breadcrumbs and the egg whites and stir well.
Rinse and wipe aubergines (paper towel). Fry them in olive oil on both sides. Grease an ovenproof dish 9 x 13 x 2 ins., sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cover the bottom with half of the aubergine slices. Spread on the meat mixture and cover with remaining aubergines.
Beat the egg yolks with the egg and stir into the bechamel sauce. Add 2/3 cup cheese and nutmeg and pour this over the aubergines, to cover the dish completely. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake in a moderate oven for 45 mins. or until top is golden brown.

I love this dish, the recipe I have used in the past is very similar! Just reminded me to make it again :-)

Mousakás (Recipe from the cookbook and travel guide ‘Culinaria Greece’ by Könemann)

3 large eggplants
1lb/500gr potatoes
Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1lb/500gr ground lamb or beef
1lb/500gr tomatoes, peeled and diced
1cup/250ml dry white wine
1/4tsp sugar
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
1 bunch flat leaved parsley, finely chopped

For the béchamel sauce:

4tbsp/60gr butter
1/2cup/60gr all purpose flour
3cups/750ml milk
1 egg yolk
1/2tsp sugar
Freshly grated nutmeg
2tsp lemon juice
Breadcrumbs
Grated Graviéra cheese for topping
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Wash the eggplants. Remove the base of the stalk and cut lengthways into 1cm slices. Place the slices in a bowl, cover with water, sprinkle with salt and leave to draw for 20minutes. Meantime peel the potatoes, cut into similar 1cm slices and add salt. Drain the eggplants and pat dry. Heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the eggplants on both sides over a high heat (you will have to keep adding oil). Remove the slices from the pan and place on paper towels to drain. Put fresh olive oil in the pan and fry and drain the potato slices in the same way. Sauté the onions until transparent, add the ground meat and brown over a high heat. Stir in the tomatoes, white wine, sugar, cinnamon and parsley, reduce the temperature and simmer for 10minutes.

Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook foe a minute or two. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring continuously. When the mixture thickens remove the pan from heat, stir in the egg yolk and season the sauce with sugar, nutmeg, lemon, salt and pepper. Stir in 2tbsp’s of the grated Graviéra and allow to cool.

Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Cover the base of a large ovenproof dish first with a layer of potato slices, then half the ground meat mixture. Next come the eggplant slices then the remaining ground meat. Pour over the béchamel sauce, smooth over the top and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, cheese and if desired, with cinnamon. Cook in the pre-heated oven for about 45-60minutes until the top is golden brown. Allow the finished dish to cool a little before cutting into large portions for serving. Serve with freshly baked white bread.
Note: if you can't find the Graviéra cheese substitute Jarlsberg OR Gruyère

Thank you both for posting these recipes. I will have to give them a try!