Moussaka with Cheesy Bechamel

My own recipe

Serves 8

Pan used 28 cm x 38 cm x 8 cm
Pot used 8l

For the meat sauce
(This meat sauce is perfect for lasagna or on pasta as a bolognese as well)

• 1 kg minced beef
• 1 kg minced pork
• 2 big onions, chopped 
• 1 big leek, chopped small
• 1 pepper, cut in small cubes
• 1 big carrot, cut in small cubes
• 1 celery stick, cut small
• 500 ml tomato passata
• 2 big garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
•  1 tbsp dried dill
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• salt and pepper

For the layers

• 5 big potatoes, cleaned and sliced
• 1 big eggplant, cleaned of skin and sliced
• 2 medium sized courgettes, cleaned of skin and sliced

Cheesy bechamel sauce link

• 100 gr butter cubed
• ½ cup flour
• 700 ml whole milk
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 250 gr grated mozzarella cheese
• 50 gr white cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Step One

 In a big pot add the olive oil and the minced meat and brown it as much as possible preferably in batches. When the meat is browned, add the onion and leek and fry for 3-4 min. Add the remaining vegetables and let them simmer for 5 min before adding the tomato passata and herbs. Season to taste. Turn the heat down and simmer for 3h on medium low heat, mixing from time to time. (the slow and low simmering is really important don't skip this step)

Step Two

 In a large oven proof pan layer your potatoes, meat sauce, eggplant, meat sauce, courgettes and meat sauce. Each meat layer should be really thin. To ensure you have enough meat for 3 layers, you can split the meat sauce into 3 portions, using 3 bowls. 

Step Three

Make the cheesy bechamel sauce following the recipe here 

Step Four

 Add the bechamel sauce on top of the last meat sauce layer and cover the pan with its lid or by using aluminium foil. Put in the oven for 1h at 180 ℃.  After the first one hour, uncover the pan and leave it for 20 more minutes.

 Slice and serve with pickles.

Poftă Bună!!