Moussaka with Béchamel 🍽

Name: Moussaka with Béchamel 🍽
Total time: 7200 s
Ingredients: 6 small eggplants or 3 large eggplants; 7 small potatoes or 3 large potatoes; Oil for frying; 1 lb ground beef (about 450 grams); 2 onions, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup tomato juice (about 240 ml); 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 teaspoon vinegar (optional); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 pinch mixed spices; 1 pinch black pepper; 1 pinch thyme; 1 pinch cinnamon; 1 pinch nutmeg; 1 bay leaf; 1 beef bouillon cube (optional); 4 tablespoons oil; 1/2 cup water (about 120 ml); 6 tablespoons béchamel sauce; 2 cups milk (about 480 ml); 3 tablespoons butter or ghee; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 cup broth (or dissolve 1 bouillon cube in 1 cup hot water); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 pinch black pepper; 1 pinch cinnamon; 1 pinch nutmeg; 3 eggs

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Egypt

Moussaka is a dish made mainly with eggplant and potatoes. Although Egyptians have added their own touches, the dish is originally Greek and is called "moussaka." Moussaka can be prepared in many ways with different ingredients, and each country has its own version. In Egypt, we serve it in two main ways. In this recipe, we'll make one of them: "Moussaka with Béchamel."

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Ingredients

2 hours

Vegetables:
6small eggplants or 3 large eggplants
7small potatoes or 3 large potatoes
Oil for frying
Meat mixture:
1 lbground beef (about 450 grams)
2onions, chopped
3garlic cloves, minced
1 cuptomato juice (about 240 ml)
1 tablespoontomato paste
1 teaspoonvinegar (optional)
1 teaspoonsalt
1 pinchmixed spices
1 pinchblack pepper
1 pinchthyme
1 pinchcinnamon
1 pinchnutmeg
1bay leaf
1beef bouillon cube (optional)
4 tablespoonsoil
1/2 cupwater (about 120 ml)
6 tablespoonsbéchamel sauce
Béchamel sauce:
2 cupsmilk (about 480 ml)
3 tablespoonsbutter or ghee
3 tablespoonsall-purpose flour
1 cupbroth (or dissolve 1 bouillon cube in 1 cup hot water)
1/2 teaspoonsalt
1 pinchblack pepper
1 pinchcinnamon
1 pinchnutmeg
3eggs

Saved

Steps

2 hours

1

Slice the potatoes and eggplants into thick rounds.
2

Fry the potatoes first. While frying, soak the eggplant slices in salted water.
3

After frying all the potatoes, fry the eggplant. Once done, sprinkle a little salt and black pepper over the fried potatoes and eggplant. (While frying, you can start preparing the meat mixture and béchamel sauce.)
4

In a small pot, heat the oil and add the chopped onions. Sauté until they soften (sprinkling a little salt on the onions helps them cook faster). Once the onions are soft, add the minced garlic and sauté, then add the bay leaf. Stir, then add the ground beef.
5

Cook the beef until it browns and loses its red color, then lower the heat (simmering helps break up the meat so it doesn't clump).
6

When the beef is almost cooked, increase the heat and add the vinegar (if using) for a nice tang, then add the tomato paste, tomato juice, salt, black pepper, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, bouillon cube, and 1/2 cup water.
7

Let the meat cook until all the liquid evaporates, then remove the bay leaf.
8

While the meat is finishing, prepare the béchamel sauce. In a pot, melt the butter or ghee, then add the flour. Stir for about 2 minutes, just until the flour dissolves.
9

Add the milk, remove the pot from the heat, and whisk until the flour is fully dissolved. Return the pot to the heat, add the broth, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk until the béchamel thickens, then remove from heat. When it cools slightly, add the 3 eggs, a little salt and black pepper, and whisk. The béchamel is now ready.
10

In a baking dish, arrange a layer of potatoes.
11

Add a layer of eggplant on top.
12

Mix 6 tablespoons of béchamel sauce into the ground beef mixture.
13

Spread the meat mixture over the vegetables in the baking dish.
14

Pour the remaining béchamel sauce on top.
15

Bake in a preheated oven at medium heat for 45 minutes, then broil until the top is golden brown. Serve with bread or white rice.