Greek Moussaka

Step 1
Start by salting the eggplants. Slice the eggplants into thin rounds, about 0.5cm thick. In a large colander, layer the eggplant rounds, adding a generous pinch of salt between each layer. Set aside to drain for at least 30 minutes. You can leave the eggplants to drain for up to half a day if you like, or overnight if you like.

Step 2
When ready to roast the eggplants, preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced. Pat eggplant rounds dry using paper towels and spread them out evenly on two baking trays lined with baking paper. It’s okay if some of rounds are overlapping slightly. Drizzle them with half of the olive oil and sprinkle half of the salt and pepper, then flip them over and add remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until softened and slightly golden in colour. Set aside until you are ready to assemble the moussaka.

For The Meat Sauce
Step 3
Cut the tomatoes in half lengthways. Heat a large frypan over medium-high heat, then add 2 tbsp of the olive oil and the tomatoes, face down. Let them blister for about 10 minutes, turning over halfway through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Step 4
Meanwhile, finely dice the onion and finely chop or mince the garlic.

Step 5
Give the frypan a quick wipe if needed, then return to medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and sauté the onion with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then add the mince meat and cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon, until nicely browned.

Step 6
Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, smoked paprika and tomato paste, mixing well to combine. Cook for another 3 minutes until tomato paste deepens in colour.

Step 7
Add the blistered tomatoes and any juices back into the pan. Break up the tomatoes into the sauce using the back of a wooden spoon and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed, then set aside until you are ready to assemble the moussaka.

For The Bechamel
Step 8
Start making the béchamel just before you are ready to assemble the moussaka. In a small saucepan, warm the milk until just below simmering point – the surface will start to steam – then turn off the heat. Meanwhile, grate the parmesan on the fine side of a box grater.

Step 9
In another medium sized saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Slowly add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to make a paste (roux). You want the paste to stay pale in colour and not brown, so only cook for a minute or two.

Step 10
Once the paste has thickened, slowly add the warm milk, 1/2 a cup at a time, stirring constantly with a whisk. As the mixture thickens, add more milk until you have a thick white sauce. Turn off the heat and add the parmesan, salt and pepper, stirring well to melt the cheese.

To Assemble
Step 11
Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large rectangular baking dish, about 20cm x 30cm, layer half of the roasted eggplant on the base, overlapping when needed. Cover with all of the meat sauce, spreading it out evenly with the back of a spoon. Next, add a layer of the remaining roasted eggplant, overlapping when needed. Finally, pour over the bechamel sauce and smooth out with the back of a spoon.

Step 12
Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly and golden-brown on top. Let the moussaka rest for 10 minutes before cutting to serve.