Recipe Background
Oh yes, the sunny shores of the Mediterranean are lapping in your kitchen! Greek Comfort Casserole plays on the modern Greek version of moussaka, layering savory eggplant slices in between a homemade meat sauce, with plenty of Greek-inspired spices, and a creamy béchamel complete with sharp parmesan. There's no comfort quite like this Greek Comfort Casserole!
Oh yes, the sunny shores of the Mediterranean are lapping in your kitchen! Greek Comfort Casserole plays on the modern Greek version of moussaka, layering savory eggplant slices in between a homemade meat sauce, with plenty of Greek-inspired spices, and a creamy béchamel complete with sharp parmesan. There's no comfort quite like this Greek Comfort Casserole!
Ingredients
For the eggplant:
- 2 large eggplants cut into 1/2-inch slices
- salt to taste
- oil to taste
For the meat sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb or beef
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- salt to taste
- parsley optional, to taste, chopped, for garnish
For the béchamel sauce:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded, divided
- 2 egg yolks
Directions
- In a colander, add the eggplant slices.
- Generously season both sides of the eggplant slices with the extra salt.
- Allow the eggplant to sit undisturbed for 30 minutes.
- Pat the eggplant slices dry with a paper towel.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the extra oil.
- Add the eggplant slices in batches to the hot oil and pan-fry the slices until lightly golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the fried slices to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat until all of the eggplant slices are fried. Add more of the extra oil as needed before each batch.
- In a separate large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
- Add the onions and the garlic and cook, while stirring, until the onions are translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the lamb, while crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, and cook until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the wine and simmer until it reduces.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and their juices, the tomato paste, the broth, the oregano, the cinnamon, the paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of the nutmeg, the sugar, the black pepper, and the extra salt and stir to combine.
- Bring the meat sauce mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Simmer the meat sauce mixture until thickened, about 20-30 minutes.
- In a pan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Gradually add the flour to the melted butter, while stirring, until all of it is incorporated and it becomes a smooth paste.
- Slowly add the milk to the butter-flour mixture, while stirring constantly. If the mixture starts to clump together, pause adding the milk and make it smooth again before adding more of the milk.
- Continue to cook the milk mixture, while stirring, until it thickens.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and the remaining nutmeg and stir to combine.
- Add 1/2 of the parmesan cheese and stir to combine.
- Allow the béchamel mixture to cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Add the egg yolks to the béchamel mixture and whisk to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- In the prepared baking dish, layer 1/2 of the eggplant slices.
- Top the eggplant layer with the meat sauce.
- Add the remaining eggplant slices in a layer over the meat sauce layer.
- Top the casserole with the béchamel sauce and the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Bake uncovered until heated through and bubbly, about 45-50 minutes.
- Optionally, broil the casserole until golden on top, about 2-3 minutes.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve garnished with the parsley.
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