Turkish Eggplant Musakka / Moussaka Recipe

INGREDIENTS

 

Meat Mixture

• 2 Tbsp Zeytin Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 /2 Sweet Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Diced
• 1 Lb Ground Beef
• 5 Tbsp Crushed Tomatoes with Liquid
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

 

Eggplant Layer

• 3-4 Medium-Sized Italian Eggplants or 1 American Eggplant
• Salt
• 1 Cup Zeytin Extra Virgin Olive Oil for frying, more or less depending on eggplants

 

Bechamel Sauce

• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 3 Tbsp Flour
• 1.5 Cups Milk, Warm
• Salt and White Pepper

 

Miscellaneous

• Handful of Parsley Leaves (10-15 Leaves)
• 1 Tbsp Zeytin Extra Virgin Olive Oil to grease the 9x9 baking dish
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese or Turkish kasar cheese

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Start with the Eggplant Layer

2. Slice all the eggplants lengthwise into 1/2 inch rounds. Sprinkle salt on top and set aside for 10 minutes to draw out moisture. Wipe the water off with paper towels. 
3. Heat 1 Cup Zeytin Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large frying pan and quickly fry the eggplants until they are lightly browned and soft. Lay the eggplants on dry paper towels to remove excess oil.

 

Cook the Meat Mixture

4. Heat 2 tbsp Zeytin Extra Virgin Olive Oil on a medium-sized pan. Sauté onions and garlic on medium heat until they are translucent, then add ground beef and sauté for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper and add in the crushed tomatoes. Sauté for another 5 minutes.

Make the Béchamel Sauce

5. Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth.
6. Gradually pour in warm milk, 1/4-1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly until it thickens and you see no lumps. 

Now Assemble Together!

7. Grease a 9x9 baking dish with Zeytin Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add a few spoons of the meat mixture on the bottom of the dish so you can barely see the pan. 
8. Arrange a layer of eggplants on top. Cover the eggplants with half of the meat mixture. 
9. Spread all of the béchamel sauce on top of the meat evenly. Sprinkle cheese on top along with the parsley leaves. 
10. Add another layer of eggplants. Top with the remaining meat mixture.

Finally, Bake

11. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. 
12. After 45 minutes, lower the temperature to 375 degrees, remove the foil from the dish and bake for another 15 minutes uncovered. 
13. Remove from oven and let the moussaka cool for at least 10 minutes.
14. Enjoy with a bowl of rice on the side!