Ingredients
Lamb:
- 1/4 cup dried currants
- 1/4 cup Greek extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 serrano chile, finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 (28-ounce can) plum tomatoes, pureed until smooth with their juices
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
- Honey, if needed
Eggplant:
- 1 1/2 cups canola oil
- 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut crosswise into 14-thick slices
Bechamel Sauce:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup soft goat cheese
- 1 cup grated Romano
- 1 lemon, zested
Directions
For the lamb: Soak the currants in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the lamb, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cayenne, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a large strainer set over a bowl and drain; discard any liquid left in the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the serrano and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Return the lamb to the pan, add the wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and currants and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and oregano and season with salt and pepper and honey, if needed. Remove from the heat.
For the eggplant: Heat the canola oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the eggplant slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices and fry until tender and lightly golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant slices to paper towels.
For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until pale and smooth, 2 minutes. Still whisking constantly, add the milk and bay leaf and cook until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and discard the bay leaf. Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, goat cheese, and lemon zest and whisk into the bechamel sauce until smooth.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish or casserole dish.
To assemble: Put half the eggplant slices in the dish and cover with half the meat sauce. Top the sauce with the remaining eggplant slices, and then the remaining meat sauce. Pour the bechamel over the top of the meat sauce and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle Romano evenly over the top, place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake until browned and bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Top with more chopped parsley, if desired. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Photo: Moussaka Recipe

















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By Kandarie
Peru, IN
on May 15, 2012
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Excellent! But after making moassaka several times before, I've found a few 'shortcuts'. I bake the eggplant after brushing with oil, then microwave for a few minutes to soften even more. Saves a lot of oil and time. I also add some thin sliced potatoes,softened in microwave, as I've had potatoes in moussaka. Great spice combo and flavor;-.
By jaynewestfall12
laporte, IN
on April 20, 2012
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Made this last night for dinner...my husband had three helpings and had to make himself stop eating it! WE LOVED IT!!! It takes awhile to make but it is worth it. I will add this to may favorites for sure.
By lindald
San Francisco
on April 17, 2012
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This is a great recipe but 30 minute prep time is way off the mark. I think it probably took me closer to 90 minutes.
Also, eggplant is a sponge. The recipe calls for heating 1 1/2 cups of oil and frying the eggplant in batches. My first batch soaked up all of the oil, so I had to keep adding more. Next time I will grill it rather than fry. Other than that, this recipe was great. Haven't made moussaka in decades, but I will definitely make it again soon.
Read all 14 reviews