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Moussaka
A vegetarian moussaka with plancha-charred aubergine and a proper set béchamel — cuts into clean squares even at anchor swing
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- Aubergines, 1 cm lengthwise slices — 1.2 kg
- Olive oil — 120 ml
- Brown or green lentils, cooked — 720 g
- Onion, diced — 250 g
- Garlic — 20 g
- Cinnamon — 3 g
- Dried oregano — 5 g
- Chopped tomatoes — 800 g
- Tomato paste — 40 g
- Red wine — 100 ml
- Unsalted butter — 80 g
- Plain flour — 80 g
- Whole milk — 1 l
- Egg yolks — 3 (60 g)
- Kefalotyri or Parmesan — 100 g
- Nutmeg — 1 g
- Fine sea salt — 14 g
Method
- Brush aubergine with 90 ml oil, salt; char on a 240 °C plancha or under a grill, 3 minutes per side, until soft and smoky.
- Sauce: soften onion in 30 ml oil; add garlic, cinnamon, oregano, paste; deglaze with wine; add tomatoes and lentils; simmer 15 minutes until thick; season.
- Béchamel: butter + flour 2 minutes; whisk in milk; simmer 6 minutes; off heat beat in yolks, half the cheese, nutmeg, salt.
- Layer a deep 32 × 26 cm tray: aubergine, lentil sauce, aubergine, lentil sauce, then béchamel and remaining cheese.
- Bake at 180 °C fan for 40–45 minutes to a deep gold top (core 80 °C).
- Rest 25 minutes — non-negotiable for clean squares.