Moussaka

Rich layers of vegetables, meat and creamy béchamel sauce make up Greece's best-loved dish.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Pre-heat the oven to 350F

Step 2

Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in frying pan over high heat. Fry the eggplant and zucchini slices until soft, then place on kitchen roll to cool and allow the excess olive oil to drain.

Step 3

To start the meat sauce, warm another 1-2 tbsp of oil in a deep saucepan over a medium heat. Once heated, fry the onion until it's translucent and soft. Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes, before adding the thyme and sugar. Fry a little more until everything is caramelized.

Step 4

Add the lamb mince and tomato puree to the pot. Break up any big chunks of mince, and cook until golden brown.

Step 5

Add the red wine (if using) and cook for another 5 minutes.

Step 6

Add the chopped tomatoes, nutmeg, cinnamon and bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Keep an eye on it, stir often and remove the bay leaf once done. (If there are 2-3 people cooking, move onto next step while this is cooking. If there is only one person cooking, finish this step before moving on).

Step 7

While this is cooking, make up béchamel sauce, Melt the butter in a clean pan over medium heat. Next, add the flour, remove any floury lumps.

Step 8

Gradually add the milk (warmed is better) and keep whisking to help stop any lumps forming. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens - this can take around 5-10 minutes.

Step 9

Once the sauce is thickened, stir in the egg yolks, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cheese. Keep whisking to ensure the eggs don't scramble.

Step 10

Drizzle some olive oil on the bottom of the ceramic, rectangular baking dish, then place the sliced potatoes over the oil. Next, add a layer of of eggplant and zucchini - use about half of them.

Step 11

Top the eggplant and zucchini with the meat ragu, spreading it evenly throughout the dish. Then, layer the remaining eggplant and zucchini on top of the meat sauce.

Step 12

Cover the moussaka with the béchamel sauce. Next, sprinkle over the grated cheese and dried mixed herbs (if using), then arrange the sliced tomatoes evenly across the top.

Step 13

Bake the moussaka on the middle shelf of the oven for about 1 hour, until the cheese turns golden brown. Check after 45 minutes to ensure it's not burning.

Step 14

Remove from the oven and allow the moussaka to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving - that way everything can set and the dish will slice correctly.