Chef notes
Moussaka is to Greeks what lasagna is to Italians. It’s essentially a Greek casserole with layers of roasted eggplant, tomato, cheese and potatoes. In our updated vegetarian version, we crown the dish with pommes Maxim. Traditional moussaka is one-dimensional in texture, and the pommes Maxim gives it a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups canned tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1½ cups grated Gruyere cheese
- salt, to taste
- 2 large eggplants, sliced into 1-inch rounds
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 cups peeled and thinly sliced onion
- 4 cups peeled and 1/16-inch-sliced russet potatoes
- 6 ounces Mornay sauce (recipe above)
- 2¼ cups spiced tomato sauce (recipe above)
- 12 leaves basil
- salt, to taste
- 4¼ cups peeled and thinly sliced russet potatoes
- 1¾ cups clarified butter, warmed
- 1 lemon, zested
- dried oregano, to taste
- sea salt, to taste
- Aleppo pepper, to taste
Preparation
For the spiced tomato sauce:
1.Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
2.To the same pot, add salt, oregano, basil and cinnamon. Stir until the onions and garlic are well-coated, and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
3.Add tomatoes to the pot, stirring until everything is combined. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
For the Mornay sauce:
1.Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2.Gradually whisk in the flour to create a roux.
3.Slowly cook the roux for 5 to 10 minutes; it might take longer depending on how much you're making. You want it to become slightly golden.
4.While whisking, pour in the whole milk to prevent lumps from forming. Keep stirring.
5.Cook the mixture until the milk thickens and simmer it to ensure the raw flour taste is gone. The sauce should become smooth and not gritty.
6.Fold in the grated cheddar cheese.
7.Season with salt to taste.
For the moussaka and pommes Maxim:
1.Grill the eggplant: Place eggplant rounds on a hot grill for 4 minutes on one side, and 4 minutes on the other. Place the grilled eggplant in a small metal bowl and cover with plastic wrap to trap the steam.
2.Prepare the potatoes: Heat olive oil and caramelize the onions until golden brown. Add thinly sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Mornay sauce, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes to start cooking the potatoes.
3.Prepare pommes Maxim: Preheat the oven to 300 F (150 C). Coat the potatoes in the clarified butter. Shingle the potato slices on a parchment-lined tray, overlapping them by 40%. Cover with another sheet of parchment and another tray. Bake for 60 to 85 minutes, until golden and crispy.
4.Assemble the moussaka: Line a half-sheet tray with parchment. Spread the potato mixture evenly on the bottom, then add a layer of picked basil. Toss the grilled eggplant in the spiced tomato sauce and layer on top of the potatoes. Cover with parchment and place another tray on top. Bake at 325 F (165 C) with a low fan for 90 minutes. Check that potatoes are cooked through with a cake tester. Cool with weight on top.
5.To serve: Enrobe the moussaka portion with Mornay. Place the moussaka under the broiler in order to brown the Mornay. Season Pommes Maxim with lemon zest, oregano, sea salt and Aleppo pepper. Top the moussaka with pommes Maxim before serving.
