Moussaka
Moussaka
Cypriot version, pork and beef mince, 1 hr bake at 160°C, serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Vegetables aubergines 2 large potatoes 750g courgettes 2 large olive oil 150g, for frying Meat sauce pork mince 500g beef mince 500g onions 2, finely chopped garlic 3 cloves, crushed passata 500ml white wine 300ml olive oil 30g ground cinnamon 3 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp bay leaves 4 flat leaf parsley 15g, chopped salt and pepper to season Bechamel full fat milk 850ml butter 120g plain flour 125g nutmeg 1 tsp, grated salt and pepper to season
Cypriot moussaka uses pork, or a pork and beef mix.
Recipe
1. Slice the aubergines into 1cm rounds. Lay them on a rack, salt both sides well, and leave 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Peel the potatoes and slice into 5mm rounds, same with the courgettes. Fry the potatoes in the oil in batches until golden both sides, drain on kitchen paper. Same with the courgettes and aubergine:
[potatoes 750g, courgettes 2 large, aubergines 2 large, olive oil 150g for frying]
3. For the meat sauce, heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Soften the onions for 10 minutes, then the garlic for 1 minute:
[olive oil 30g, onions 2 finely chopped, garlic 3 cloves crushed]
4. Add the mince, break it up, and brown all over, about 8 minutes. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Add and simmer uncovered on low for 20 to 25 minutes, until thick and the liquid has mostly gone:
[passata 500ml, ground cinnamon 3 tsp, dried oregano 1 tsp, bay leaves 4, flat leaf parsley 15g, salt and pepper to season]
6. Make the bechamel. Warm the milk. Melt the butter in another pan over medium heat, stir in the flour, and cook 2 minutes.
Stand mixer: make it in the bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisk attachment, milk drizzled in.
7. Add the warm milk to the roux a ladle at a time, whisking between each. Keep over medium heat until it coats the back of a spoon. Nutmeg, season, off the heat.
8. Heat the oven to 160°C. Assemble in a deep ovenproof dish, about 30x22cm: all the potatoes, then the aubergine, then the courgette, then the meat sauce. Pour the bechamel evenly over the top.
9. Bake 45 to 60 minutes until deep golden. Cool at least 15 minutes before cutting, it slices cleanly once settled.
Sources: Pomegranates and Princes, Yummy Cyprus.