Greek Moussaka

Ingredients

• 2 potatoes
• 1 onion
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• Thyme
• eggplant
• zucchini
• ground beef
• 1 clove garlic
• half teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch ground clove
• tomato paste
• chopped tomatoes
• butter
• flour
• milk
• freshly ground pepper
• ground nutmeg
• Parmesan cheese
• 3 egg yolks

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C and brush a 25x30 cm baking pan with olive oil.
2. Thinly slice potatoes and onion, season with salt, pepper, and thyme, and spread in a layer on the bottom of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
3. Thinly slice eggplant, season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme, and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Slice zucchini, season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme, and bake for 20 minutes.
5. In a pan, add olive oil, minced onion, and caramelize over high heat. Add minced garlic, cinnamon, and ground clove, sauté.
6. Add tomato paste and ground beef, cook until browned, then add chopped tomatoes and cook until most liquid evaporates.
7. Prepare béchamel sauce: melt butter, whisk in flour, then slowly add milk in batches, whisking constantly until smooth and thickened. Add pepper, nutmeg, Parmesan, and egg yolks, whisk well.
8. Mix one-third of béchamel into the ground meat to create a sticky filling.
9. Spread the meat mixture over the baked vegetables in the pan.
10. Pour remaining béchamel sauce over the meat, smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
11. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
12. Allow to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving.