Moussaka

μουσακάς με μελιτζάνα και πατάτες

Moussaka, a Greek recipe, but it has been a staple in our house for as long as I can remember. How this dish came to an Italian American kitchen at the hands of my Irish descent mother, I have no idea. Moussaka was summer: summer. Eggplants are starting to arrive in the farmers' markets. The best will be the local Jersey varieties in August. My father came come home with pecks of them. What to do with them? Let me count the ways. Grilled, baked, fried. The foundation of ratatouille, eggplant parmesan and the supreme creation, moussaka.
So, what is the authentic moussaka.Like so many popular recipes its origins are lost. Take a moment to look at the Wiki entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moussaka
For the American, moussaka is a major player on the menu of any Greek diner. But, as with any commercial preparation, what we get in a restaurant does not guarantee that at the restaurant table we will experience the true domestic dish. So, can we find the primal moussaka as it is prepared in the
Greek home. Probably not. Moussaka, like baked macaroni, or Italian Sunday gravy, is different in every household. To declare one method as the "correct" method, may very well provoke a heated argument as to its orthodoxy. So, the recipe that follows represents not an absolute, but a
suggestion. What I set out below, represents my experiences with folks I know in Greece combined with the moussaka my mother of Irish extraction made every summer and the research I've done on the internet.
One of the big questions in a moussaka is potatoes or not. Technically, and from the meaning of the word, "moussaka" has nothing to do with eggplant as such. A moussaka in Greece may also be made with zucchini or with potatoes: no eggplant involved. Other recipes, call for eggplant alone, or, eggplant in one layer and sliced potatoes in another. Still other recipes call for cubing the potatoes and mixing them in with the meat. The version illustrated below with include the diced potatoes. I think they add a certain density and substance to the moussaka. But, they are optional.

Then there is the question of what is called the "béchamel." Moussaka is most noted for the creamy custard that tops the casserole. In fact, it may be its most distinguishing element. But, truth be told, it is really not a "béchamel." A "béchamel" is a butter, flour and milk cream sauce. It has no eggs. The introduction of eggs transforms the topping from a sauce to a custard. And it's this custard that makes all the difference in a moussaka. It should be creamy, slightly sweet and with a wonderful nutmeg and cinnamon hint. The last question about moussaka is the type of meat. The traditional Greek recipe, in Greece, calls for ground lamb. (Ground lamb suggests the relationship of the Greek recipe with the traditional Irish "shepherd's pie," which also should use ground lamb ( hence "shepherd's pie.) Many
moussaka recipes, however, even Greek-American ones, call for ground beef. I would assume that the use of beef was simply a matter of accommodation. In America ground lamb was, and probably still is, a bit more difficult to find.

This moussaka is the child of fresh from the field New Jersey summertime eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onions and potatoes. Read about a day trip excursion to Jersey Farms at www.road-venture.com.Moussaka is not a difficult recipe, but it is certainly time consuming. It requires several steps.
The preparation of the eggplant needs at least an hour. But, like lasagna, it's well worth the effort.

Since this recipe is quite involved it is presented on two pages of this site.

What you need

There
are two parts to this recipe.
1. The base.
The lamb, the onions and garlic, the tomatoes and the optional potatoes.

2. The Béchamel topping.
The creamy custard topping made of a roux and eggs.

Set out all your ingredients and all your tools before you begin.
The "mise en place" - putting it all in place, is the single most
important part of cooking.

Equipment
A cooling rack: the type you would use to cool cookies.
Two cookie trays.
Large sauté pan or wok.
Large plate to receive the fried eggplant.
Paper towels to dry and absorb oil.
Two wooden spoons.
Two Pyrex measuring cups. ( one for milk; one for flour.)
Balloon whisk ( medium size).
Casserole dish for the oven.
Bowl to whisk eggs.
Saucepan to heat Béchamel.
Sharp knife.
Vegetable peeler for potatoes.
Grater for cheese.
Micro plane for nutmeg.

Ingredients.
For the base:
Olive oil.
Ground lamb (or ground beef).
Large eggplant ( you want a nice size fruit that can be sliced for the layers.
Japanese eggplant is too small.)
Potato: one or two large all purpose. (Potatoes are optional. Many recipes do not include them I think they add a bit more substance and extend the meat.)
Large onion (Vidalia are always preferred. Small yellow onions are too sharp.)
Garlic: several cloves.
Tomatoes.(Try to use Cento Italian San Marzano.) Crush by hand.
Red wine.
Egg whites. About three - from the egg yolks used in the Béchamel.
Nutmeg, Cinamon,Ground cloves,Kosher Salt,Pepper.

For the Béchamel.
(As noted above, this is not a true béchamel.The addition of the eggs makes it more of a custard.)
Butter. Unsalted, 1/2 stick.
Flour. about 1/2 cup.
Milk. about two cups.
Cheese. about 1/2 cup of parmesan, or, if you can find it, kayfalotyri cheese.
Egg Yolks. about three.

Getting started

The eggs. Before you start with anything else, take care of the eggs. The Eggs. Separate the yolks from the whites.Whip each in its own bowl and set each bowl aside.

Separate the eggs

Whisk the yolks and set aside for the bechamel.Save the whites for the meat.

The Eggplant

Ahead of time: About one hour or more.
Step one.
Slice the eggplant. You may either slice "round" with a knife, or using a mandolin, slice horizontally.
This illustration uses the "round" slice.

Salt the eggplant

Salt the slices on both sides.

Set the salted slices on a rack and let them sweat for about an hour.

Press the eggplant

(You may also place a cutting board on top of the slices and set a weight on top to force the sweat.)

Dry the slices

After an hour, dry the slices with a paper towel.

Eggplant - part 2

Heat olive oil in a wok or large sauce pan.
Be sure that you have dried the eggplant slices with a paper towel.
Fry the eggplant slices for about three minutes. They should brown slightly.

Absorb excess oil

Set the fried slices on a dish cushioned with a paper towel to absorb the oil.
Once they are all fried, set the slices to the side.

Part 2 - The base

Potatoes:
(optional)
Peel the potatoes and dice them. ( For
other versions, you may thin slice the potatoes and use the slices as an additional layer.)

Microwave the potatoes for about three minutes.
While the potatoes are in the microwave continue with:

Onions

Onions:
Dice
the onion finely.

Garlic

Chop finely.

Sauter the onions and garlic

Heat some olive oil in a wok or large skillet.
Add the onion and garlic.
Let the onion and garlic become soft and somewhat translucent.
About ten minutes.

Lamb

Add the ground lamb.
Brown the meat.
(Some versions, even Greek ones, call for ground beef.)

Wine

When the meat has begun to brown add the cup of wine.
Let the wine reduce to almost nothing.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes
Add the crushed tomatoes.

Potatoes

Potatoes
Add the diced potatoes. (optional).
Stir and simmer for about twenty minutes.

As already noted, this is not a true béchamel. This is acustard. But it can be the most delightful part of the moussaka.
It should be rich, creamy and light.