🍆 The Best Moussaka
This has officially become a comfort food for me. I’ve never actually tasted moussaka before, so I don’t really have anything to compare it to. But, this turned out so delicious and somehow, it tastes even better as the days go by.
There are quite a lot of ingredients and little steps involved, so it definitely took me a while to prepare. But it was worth it. I hope this recipe brings you a little comfort too 🤍
Ingredients
🥩 Beef Layer
2 tsp olive oil
white onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
1 large clove garlic, finely diced (about 1 tsp)
400 g ground beef
1 heaped tbsp tomato paste
½ cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup water + 3/4 Knorr beef cube
2 tbsp + 2 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1½ tsp fresh or dried thyme leaves
1 small bay leaf
½ tsp salt, then adjust to taste
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp black pepper
🍆 Vegetable Layers (300g total)
sliced potatoes
sliced eggplant
2 cloves minced garlic
1tbsp vinegar
cilantro
green chili pepper
parsley & cheese for sprinkling between layers
tomato sauce
salt & pepper as needed
🤍 White Sauce
1/4 or 57g of butter
1/2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup Alaska evaporada
3/4 cup Campbell cream of mushroom soup
1/2 block or 80g grated Eden cheese
1/2 block or 80g small quickmelt (cubed)
Instructions
- Chop eggplant, potato and green chilli
- Remove the moisture: sprinkle salt and place a paper towel (this will also remove the bitter taste from the eggplant) then place potato on it and then another paper towel
- Heat olive oil in a large pan or pot over medium heat
- Add the onion and fry until soft and golden, then add in the garlic and fry for a minute or so
- Add add the beef and fry until completely browned (remove excess oils)
- Stir in the tomato paste and fry for a couple of mins
- Dissolve 3/4 beef cube into 3/4 cup of hot water before adding
- Add the tomato sauce
- Add in the parsley, thyme, cinnamon, salt, sugar, pepper & bay leaf and give it a good stir then set aside
- Deep fry the eggplant, potato and green chilli then use paper towels to soak as much excess oil as possible after
- Cook minced garlic in oil in another pan
- Add a tablespoon of vinegar then tomato sauce in the pan
- Add the deep fried eggplant, potato and green chilli
- Splash salt and dried cilantro
- Add butter to a saucepan over low–medium heat. Let it melt completely, but don’t let it brown.
- Add flour and whisk continuously for about 1–2 minutes. It should become a smooth, pale paste. Don’t let it turn brown.
- Slowly pour in Alaska evaporada, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- Add Campbell cream of mushroom soup. Keep whisking until everything is smooth and combined.
- Keep it over low–medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 3–5 minutes. It should become thick and creamy—thick enough that it coats the back of a spoon.
- Add the cheese. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Add white pepper if you want.
- Take it off the heat. Let it sit for 2–3 minutes. It’ll thicken a little more as it cools.
- Take 3 tbsp of sauce and stir it into the beef.
- Add a layer of potato to the baking dish (overlapping as needed) and sprinkle over a hefty pinch of parsley, cheese, salt & pepper. Follow with half of the eggplant and parsley, cheese, salt & pepper. Try and close all the gaps and make it all nice and compact
- Spread over the beef layer, top with the rest of the eggplant, then top with the white sauce
- Finish with a sprinkling of cheese
- Then place in the airfryer at 180C for 20-35mins, or until golden/lightly charred on top. I recommend leaving it to sit for at least 15mins once done just to help it keep its shape.