Low Effort Moussaka Ragu

For those who don't like spending 3–4 hours in the kitchen but love Greek flavors.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

In a pot, sauté the onion and garlic in oil until translucent. Add the ground meat and cook until it turns white and starts to brown slightly.

Step 2

Add the diced eggplant to the meat. Stir for 3–4 minutes. You’ll see that the eggplant immediately starts to absorb the juices and oil.

Step 3

Season with salt and pepper, then add the cinnamon, oregano, and bay leaf. Pour in the red wine and sauté for 1–2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.

Step 4

Pour in the passata (or chopped tomatoes). If it looks too thick, you can add a tiny bit of water (about 50–100 ml), but not too much, because the eggplant will release its own liquid as well!

Step 5

Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 25–30 minutes.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 200 °C on the convection setting. Peel the potatoes, then cut them into roughly equal pieces or cubes, about 3–4 centimeters in size.

Step 7

In a large bowl, mix the potatoes, drizzle with oil, and season thoroughly with salt and pepper. Then toss everything with your hands so that every potato cube is coated with the seasoned oil.

Step 8

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. It’s very important that they lie in a single layer and don’t overlap, otherwise they’ll steam rather than brown.

Step 9

Bake for about 35–45 minutes. Halfway through, toss them with a spatula so that all sides can brown nicely. They’re done when the outside is golden brown and crispy, and the inside is tender.