[Preparing the Eggplant]

▪️ Sprinkle the eggplant slices (in layers) with salt.
▪️ Let them sit for 30 minutes.
▪️ Rinse them well and pat dry with paper towels.

👉 I don’t do this step, but I’m including it for authenticity, since my grandma always did.

[Frying]

▪️ Fry the potatoes, eggplants, and zucchini thoroughly. The eggplants, especially, and the zucchini should be fried until they are very soft and almost melting.
▪️ Place the fried vegetables on paper towels.
▪️ Then let them drain off excess oil, either in a colander or on a tilted baking sheet, for at least 1 hour. (Grandma used to leave them overnight.)

[Meat Sauce]

▪️ Sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil.
▪️ Add the ground meat and cook until it changes color.
▪️ Deglaze with the wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
▪️ Add the tomato purée with a little water from the can, salt (remember you’ll add salty cheese later), sugar, and pepper.
▪️ Simmer for at least 25 minutes.
▪️ Season the meat with the spices, taste, and adjust as needed.
▪️ Off the heat, mix in the cheese.

(👉 Yields about 1.2 liters.)

[Béchamel]

▪️ In a pot off the heat, mix all the ingredients except the butter.
▪️ Add the butter, then cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. (Add more flour only if needed, whisking well.)
▪️ Taste off the heat and adjust seasoning. (It’s okay if it’s a little under-salted, since you’ll add a salty cheese crust on top.)
▪️ After it cools slightly, quickly whisk in the eggs.

[Assembly]

▪️ Make a layer of potatoes, covering any gaps.
▪️ Add a layer of eggplant, overlapping the slices halfway.
▪️ Add a looser layer of zucchini.
▪️ Spread the meat sauce over the vegetables.
▪️ Finish with the béchamel and generously sprinkle with graviera or kefalotyri cheese (the same cheese used in the meat sauce in step 3).

👉 Lightly salt each vegetable layer.

[Baking and Serving]

▪️ Bake with convection at 400°F (200°C) until a golden crust forms (about 40–45 minutes).
▪️ Let the moussaka cool completely so it sets. After that, wait a little longer.
▪️ When ready to serve, reheat the whole dish or individual portions.
▪️ Optionally, serve with a little feta cheese and bread.

Notes:

👉 The exact number of vegetables depends on their size and the size of your baking dish.
A test I do is to layer them (before frying) in the baking dish, keeping in mind they’ll lose about 2/3 of their volume after frying.

👉 The béchamel turns out better with lactose-free milk. It’s also easy to make by eye.

👉 The most important spice for the meat sauce is cinnamon.