Greek Moussaka With Potatoes Recipe

• servings: 16 servings
• active time: 1 hour
• total time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, more as needed

2 large onions, coarsely chopped, about 3 cups

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/2 pounds ground beef, or lamb

3 cups chopped ripe tomatoes, or 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup finely ground toasted breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or a 1-inch cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves, fresh or dry

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

1/2 cup dry red wine

3 tablespoons tomato paste

5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

6 cups milk, whole or 2%

12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter

15 tablespoons all-purpose flour, about 4 1/4 ounces

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

3 to 5 large egg yolks, as desired

Cooking spray

1/2 cup finely ground toasted breadcrumbs

1/2 cup finely grated kefalotyri cheese, Parmesan, or Pecorino Romano

Directions

Make the Meat Sauce

Gather the ingredients.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onions. Sauté until translucent, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the ground meat and continue to sauté until no longer pink. Drain the skillet.

Add tomatoes, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, bay leaves, allspice, cloves, salt, pepper, wine, and tomato paste. Mix well.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Cover with the lid slightly cracked and simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid is gone, about 45 minutes. If there is still liquid in pan, continue to simmer uncovered, stirring to prevent sticking, until the mixture is as dry as possible without burning. This step is crucial to prevent the final dish from having too much moisture.

Discard bay leaves, and cinnamon stick (if used), adjust salt and pepper to taste, and set sauce aside uncovered until ready to use. Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper and lower third of the oven and heat to 400 F.

Toss the potatoes on 2 rimmed baking sheets with enough oil to coat. Arrange the slices in single layers. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Roast until the potatoes are light golden, flipping the baking sheets half way through cooking, about 45 minutes total. Set aside until ready to use.

Make the Béchamel Sauce

Gather the ingredients.

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium-low heat until warm.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Slowly add the flour, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until there are no lumps. Continue to cook until the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Increase heat to medium-low. Slowly add the milk while whisking continuously. Whisk until sauce begins to thicken, 12 to 13 minutes. It should be creamy, yet thick.

Remove from heat and whisk in the salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks together. While whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the béchamel mixture. Continue to whisk in another 2 to 3 tablespoons of the béchamel mixture.

Return the béchamel-yolk mixture to the béchamel pan. Remove from the heat and whisk until well-combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Assemble the Casserole

Gather the ingredients.

Reposition a rack in the center of the oven and lower the heat to 350 F. Generously spray a large baking or roasting pan (about 15 x 10 x 2, or 5 quart) with cooking spray. Sprinkle bottom of the pan with breadcrumbs. Place a layer of potato slices on the breadcrumbs. It's OK to overlap.

Spread meat sauce evenly on top of the potatoes, pressing it down lightly all the way to the sides of the pan.

Cover evenly with the remaining potato slices. Slowly pour the béchamel sauce over top and spread evenly with a spatula, if necessary.

Transfer the pan to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the béchamel sauce begins to set, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over top. Continue to bake until golden and bubbling around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes more.

Remove moussaka from oven and allow to cool for 20 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 casserole (8 servings)
• Calories: 606 kcal
• Total Fat: 31 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 172 mg
• Sodium: 403 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 49 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 32 g