Moussaka
About This Course
Moussaka is a traditional Greek casserole featuring layers of tender, spiced eggplant, seasoned meat sauce (typically lamb or beef), and a creamy béchamel topping, baked until golden. In this course, you will learn how to select and prepare eggplants for optimal texture, craft a richly spiced meat sauce with tomato and herbs, whisk together a velvety béchamel, and assemble the layers for a perfectly balanced, hearty dish. By the end, you’ll be able to present a restaurant-quality Moussaka with deep Mediterranean flavors.
Learning Objectives
How to choose and prepare eggplants (salting/removing bitterness, proper slicing, and roasting) for ideal texture.
Techniques for browning ground lamb or beef, layering in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and seasonings (cinnamon, oregano, allspice).
Steps to make a silky-smooth béchamel sauce: roux creation, milk tempering, seasoning, and controlling thickness.
Methods for constructing Moussaka “assembly”—layering eggplant, meat sauce, and béchamel—to ensure even baking.
Guidelines for baking time and temperature so the top turns golden brown without drying out the filling.
Presentation tips: letting Moussaka rest for clean slices, garnishing with chopped parsley, and pairing with Greek salad or crusty bread.
Material Includes
- Detailed recipe card with ingredient measurements for eggplant preparation, meat sauce, and béchamel.
- Printable spice chart showing optimal proportions of cinnamon, allspice, oregano, and nutmeg for authentic flavor.
- Illustrated guide to slicing, salting, and roasting eggplants to remove excess moisture and bitterness.
- Step-by-step béchamel worksheet: roux ratios, milk addition tips, and consistency checks.
- Assembly diagram showing layer order and depth: eggplant base, meat filling, leftover eggplant, béchamel top.
- Baking schedule chart indicating preheat times, oven rack placement, and mid-bake checks.
Requirements
- Equipment:
- Large baking sheet (for roasting eggplants)
- Heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan (for cooking meat sauce)
- Medium saucepan (for béchamel)
- 9×13-inch (or equivalent) casserole dish
- Whisk (for béchamel) and wooden spoon (for meat sauce)
- Sharp knife and cutting board (for slicing vegetables)
- Oven thermometer (optional, to verify correct baking temperature)
- Ingredients:
- Eggplants (2–3 medium, about 1.5–2 lbs / 700–900 g total)
- Ground lamb or beef (1–1.5 lbs / 450–680 g)
- Onions (1 large, finely chopped) and garlic (2–3 cloves, minced)
- Tomato paste (2 Tbsp / 30 g) and canned crushed tomatoes (14 oz / 400 g)
- Olive oil (3–4 Tbsp) for roasting and sautéing
- Butter (3 Tbsp / 45 g) and all-purpose flour (3 Tbsp / 25 g) for béchamel
- Whole milk (2 cups / 480 mL) for béchamel
- Eggs (1 large, whisked into béchamel)
- Grated Parmesan or Kefalotyri cheese (¾ cup / 75 g) plus extra for sprinkling
- Spices: ground cinnamon (½ tsp), dried oregano (1 tsp), ground allspice (¼ tsp), nutmeg (pinch)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Target Audience
- Home cooks interested in mastering classic Mediterranean dishes.
- Intermediate-level chefs looking to expand skills in layered baking and sauce-making.
- Food enthusiasts who enjoy hearty, vegetable-forward comfort foods.
- Anyone wanting to impress guests with a visually striking, flavor-packed casserole.
Curriculum
3 Lessons1h 8m
Eggplant Preparation & Meat Sauce
Building the Spiced Meat Sauce (browning, seasoning, simmering)
Béchamel Sauce & Layering/Baking
Your Instructors
uniquedevservice993@gmail.com
See more
€6.45
Material Includes
- Detailed recipe card with ingredient measurements for eggplant preparation, meat sauce, and béchamel.
- Printable spice chart showing optimal proportions of cinnamon, allspice, oregano, and nutmeg for authentic flavor.
- Illustrated guide to slicing, salting, and roasting eggplants to remove excess moisture and bitterness.
- Step-by-step béchamel worksheet: roux ratios, milk addition tips, and consistency checks.
- Assembly diagram showing layer order and depth: eggplant base, meat filling, leftover eggplant, béchamel top.
- Baking schedule chart indicating preheat times, oven rack placement, and mid-bake checks.
