moussaka

go straight to the recipe

I can never think about moussaka without remembering our dinner in a very posh and expensive Athen’s restaurant at the edge of the Plakka. The moussaka was still frozen in the middle…the asparagus, although we had asked, even in Greek, if it was fresh, was in fact canned. The meal was a total disaster.

I took my vengeance the following day lugging my tripod and SLR to the front of the restaurant and setting up. Last night’s manager, in his perfect Italian suit came out and asked me what I was doing and it was with extreme pleasure I told him I was taking pictures for my review of the worst restaurant in Athens. His Adam’s apple bobbled furiously up and down and for a minute I thought he was going to kick over my tripod, when he turned on his heel and went back into the restaurant. Delicious vengeance!

It’s fair to say a terrible meal didn’t stop us from having a fabulous fun weekend set free from the constraints of the village.

There are very few dishes that I think are better when re-heated, but moussaka is one of those. Traditionally the eggplant is fried but it makes the dish very oily and unpleasantly rich. For this version we have steamed the eggplant in the Chinese manner with an excellent result. Made even easier by the silicon steaming mats that I recently purchased.

AO 12 MAY 2026

steaming the eggplant greatly improves a traditional Moussaka, less oily, less rich, more delicious!

UGLY DELICIOUS

serves six with seconds
my dish size 24 cm x 37 cm x 10 cm deep enamel [my preference to ceramic as you get crispier edges]

butter or olive oil to grease the baking dish

for the béchamel
1 x 1L milk Bechamel…minus pickling liquid and cheese

200g grated mature or mozzarella cheese

for the topping
150g fresh white breadcrumbs
75g finely grated pecorino
75g grated mature or mozzarella cheese

for the eggplant
4 large eggplant, approx. 2kg doesn’t need to be precise
fine sea salt

FOR THE MEAT

200g p/w finely chopped onion
25g p/w finely chopped garlic
splash EVO
Olssen’s smoked salt
white pepper, freshly ground
500g fine pork and veal mince, or pork or lamb mince [traditional lamb]
2 pinches dried Greek oregano
3g freshly ground cinnamon
75g Mutti organic tomato paste
300g red wine
400g Mutti crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf

for the meat
Sauté the onion and garlic in the EVO and season generously with the salt and pepper. Add the meat, oregano and cinnamon and cook stirring until the meat is cooked through and crumbly. Add the tomato paste, stir through, then add the wine a little at a time until incorporated and then add the tomato and bay leaf.

Cook on low heat stirring from time to time until is is reduced and has a rich thick sauce. Allow to cool.

putting in
the love

for the béchamel
make as described to the point of adding the cheese…allow to cool slightly then stir through the mozzarella, contact cover and allow to cool.

to prep the eggplant
Peel and slice the eggplant 12-15mm thick. Sprinkle liberally with salt and toss over. Set aside for at least one hour.

to finish the eggplant
Set up a steamer….I have recently purchased silicon steaming mats, absolutely terrific. Butter or oil your baking dish. Wash the eggplant and dry it.

to finsih the moussaka

Steam the eggplant half at a time and line the bottom of your baking dish. Spread half of the meat over the top and then another layer of eggplant and the final half of the meat.

Smooth the top of the meat and spread the entire béchamel over the top and evenly scatter the crumb cheese mix.

to this point can be done twenty-four hours in advance

preheat oven to 180°C
If you have refrigerated overnight, take the moussaka out of the fridge at least two hours before you want to put it in the oven. Bake for approximately one hour turning it twice. Allow to stand on a rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Reheats brilliantly. Freezes brilliantly so handy.

freezes perfectly

Make sure the moussaka is well chilled and cut your portions. Wrap individual portions tightly in baking paper and then foil.

Best thawed overnight in the fridge, reheats brillianting in an air fryer.

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