Is lasagna really the best or should we give a chance to the unknown? Let’s make this naturally low carb Moussaka recipe and see!

Moussaka is traditional lasagna of the middle east, hence it has no officially established ingredients or even form as sometimes like in the case of Turkey, it is not even served layered. It has never fully challenged the dominion of Italian lasagna but came quite close to its homeland.

In the 1920s a variant which includes eggplant and a bechamel like custard, spread around Greece. As the country is being a popular holiday destination, the dish quickly gained recognition not just in the alleys of culinary stardom but with the wider population too.

Moussaka spread to many Eastern European countries, considerably changing in the process. Some just swapped the eggplants to a plant more readily available in the country’s climate, but others went as far as changing everything except the layers.

Which moussaka is the real moussaka?

What the wide world may know about Moussaka is most likely about the Greek variant which is amazingly not full of carbs if prepared correctly. Of course, it’s a bit of a hassle making a nice egg only custard instead of just throwing together a flour based Bechamel sauce but if we aren’t after unnecessary carbs then this is the way.

Ingredients

Eggplants

2lb / 1kg Eggplants
1 tablespoon Salt
1 tablespoon / 15ml Oil (NOT extra virgin olive oil)

Base

½ cup / 150ml Oil
2 Onions (400g) (diced)
2 teaspoons Salt
3 cloves Garlic (diced)
2 lb / 900g Beef (ground)
14 oz / 400g Tomatoes (chopped)
1 Bay leaf
1 Cinnamon stick
1 cup / 250ml Red wine

Sauce

2 cups / 500ml Milk
7 tablespoon / 100g Butter
2 Egg yolks
3½ oz / 100g Parmesan (grated)
Salt to taste (cheese is salty!)

How to make moussaka

Eggplants

Cut a thin slice from the eggplant off so it will stand firmly on the cutting board.
Slice eggplants about 0.3″ / 0.75cm thick slices.
Rub salt on both sides of the slices.
Place the salted slices into a colander or any place where the moisture can drip off the eggplants for about 20 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the slices of the eggplant so they don’t overlap much then lightly brush them with oil.
Bake them in a 450°F / 250°C oven for about 15 minutes.

Base

Heat oil on high heat and saute the diced onions with the salt until a glassy / translucent look for about 3 – 5 minutes.
Add garlic and saute until it gets fragrant for about 1 – 2 minutes.
Mix in the ground meat.
Cook (brown) the meat until it gets an even color.
Add diced tomato, bay leaf, cinnamon and red wine.
On medium heat cook until most of the liquid evaporates for about 30 – 60 minutes.

Sauce

Bring milk and butter to boil then take it off the heat.
Beat egg yolks until light yellow then mix a couple of spoonful of milk to the yolk.
On low heat stir the yolk and the cheese back into the milk.
It should thicken up like thick cream. Take it off heat and let it cool down.

Assembly

Place a layer of eggplants onto the bottom of a casserole dish then spread the meat sauce on top.
Put on the top layer of eggplants and spread the sauce on. Sprinkle some leftover Parmesan on top.
Place it back into the 450°F / 250°C oven until golden brown spots start to appear on top for about 15 – 20 minutes.