Reviewed: Oct. 20, 2008

Very good recipe. I followed the suggestions of some of the other reviewers and made some changes for my personal preference but I think it would be very good just the way it is. But I like potatoes as the first layer and just boiled up 4 medium baker's the day before and refrigerated them so they were redy to peel and slice when I was assembling the casserole. I kneaded 1/2 cup flour into the lamb (subsituted for the beef) before frying it and that helped the casserole hold it's shape. To speed up cooking the egg plant, I made a mixture of half water, half canola oil and salt and pepper. Then, I dipped the eggplant in it before spreading them out on a large teflon coated baking sheet and baked them at 425 degrees until brown on both sides. It worked out well.I didn't put any egg in the meat sauce, but gently stirred two beaten eggs into the bechamel sauce at the end. Also, I put a whole cinnamon stick in the sauce while cooking, and removed it before refrigerating it overnight.

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Lesalee

Cooking Level: Expert

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Reviewed: Oct. 20, 2008

Chop the eggplant and roast with olive oil in oven. Add three egg yolks to the topping. Whip the egg whites and fold into topping. Bake as normal.

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kskassouf

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Reviewed: Oct. 13, 2008

Amazing! Be aware that this recipe is a lot of work. I had a lot of balls in the air while I made this one, but my hard work paid off and it was delicious. The moussaka was a little runny at first, but after it sat for a while (maybe 30 minutes) it cohered to itself a little better. I cut the leftovers into big pieces and froze them individually to bring to work for lunches. They defrosted and reheated beautifully!

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Arielle

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Living In: New Haven, Connecticut, USA

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Reviewed: Oct. 13, 2008

I wish I had baked the eggplant instead of cooking it in olive oil. The eggplant soaked up all the olive oil then rendered it out during cooking. The result? I spent four hours cooking and ended up with a big pan of gross hot oil and a broken sauce. You might have also mentioned that the eggplant should be rinsed after sitting in salt!

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maryanne

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: East Providence, Rhode Island, USA

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Reviewed: Oct. 4, 2008

very good. Makes a lot. Can use 1 lg or 2 small eggplant. needs more sauce.

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macgral

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Reviewed: Sep. 30, 2008

This recipe DEFINITELY needs more time than is indicated. I can't say that this dish turned out as good as some of the moussaka I've tried at Greek restaurants, but it didn't taste bad either. My family wasn't crazy about it, but that may have just been because I ended up preparing this on a hot day last week (not anticipating the weather would be as hot as it was). We just weren't all that hungry & there ended up being a lot leftover.

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cindypruz

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Clawson, Michigan, USA

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Reviewed: Sep. 24, 2008

This was OK, but I admit I did make some changes. I lightly egged and breaded the eggplant before frying. I did not quite use all of sauce. I also added potato slices to the bottom layer.

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Tracy

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Reviewed: Sep. 21, 2008

OMG! This is just like the local greek resataurant serves. Delicious, worth the trouble.

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Craig

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Detroit, Michigan, USA

Living In: Fort Myers, Florida, USA

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Reviewed: Sep. 18, 2008

This was the first time making moussaka and my husband said it was better than any he had ever eaten.

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lynette1207

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Reviewed: Sep. 17, 2008

I used minced lamb instead of beef, as I think this is more like the moussaka I have had in Greece, where sheep are eaten rather than cows. I also sliced and lightly salted the aubergine and baked it in the oven without oil for 30 minutes instead of frying it, as this cuts the amount of oil in the recipe. I added slices of part-cooked potato to the base of the dish before adding the meat mixture - this makes the meal go much further, and is how I have eaten moussaka in Greek restaurants. I served it to friends and there was a scramble for second helpings. Their verdict was "The best moussaka we've eaten outside Greece!"

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Daisychain

Cooking Level: Expert

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Reviewed: Sep. 16, 2008

EXCELLENT! My husband who traveled throughout Greece absolutely loved this dish and thought it was very authentic! Thanks

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Kerasita

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Buffalo, New York, USA

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Reviewed: Sep. 15, 2008

My one year old LOVES this, and that sells it for me. When mine comes out of the oven it is pretty runny, but the next day it is much improved. The first night I usually just serve it over rice. It is really delicious, but to get the full five stars it would need to live up to the moussaka served at our local Greek diner... and it just doesn't.

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PROZA

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: West Point, Mississippi, USA

Living In: Miami, Florida, USA

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Reviewed: Sep. 10, 2008

Very good taste, but I thought the eggplant almost got lost in the beef mixture. I think I need to add more eggplant or something else for texture and substance next time I make it - but I will be making it again.

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Juliet M.

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Reviewed: Sep. 8, 2008

I have never had Moussaka before and I was looking for something new to cook with my eggplant, so I thought I would give this a go. I am so glad I did. It was a big hit with the whole family! I followed the recipe as written. This was very yummy!

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Lisa0973

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Reviewed: Aug. 31, 2008

Nice and very authentic recipe - good to see a recipe using beef and not lamb - most moussaka recipes seem to suggest lamb - the Greeks rarely use lamb!! Only changes I made were not to fry the aubergine, but to plunge it into rapidly boiling water for one minute. Also I used a combination of 2 aubergine and 4 thinley sliced medium potatoes (which I parboiled for 10 minutes. Nice flavours - will use this again.

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Karen1203

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

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Reviewed: Aug. 13, 2008

I was delighted with this dish. It was my first attempt at moussaka, and it turned out delicious! I did add two beaten egg whites to the sauce, as the other reviews recommended. My husband and I thought it was wonderful, and i will be making it again!

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Sarah

Home Town: Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA

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Reviewed: Jul. 18, 2008

This recipe is identical to one in a Greek cookbook I've had for years. I have made it several times now, and wonder why it has so much liquid in it when cut into. I used eggplant that had been salted and set to dry between tea towels for a couple of hours, then they were broiled. What I had left were slices that were paper thin (no water left!), yet still there was much liquid. At our favorite Greek diner, it never looks that wet, but the flavor is very comparable and good.

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Eileen

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Webster, New York, USA

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Reviewed: Jul. 17, 2008

The moussaka was very good, but I give this 3 stars for a few reasons. First, if you have never prepared Greek food before (ESPECIALLY moussaka) this recipe is very poorly written - it's way too vague. 9 x 13" is not a big enough pan by any means - go larger. Second, it calls for way too much onion and eggplant. I cut 1 1/2 onions and 2 eggplants and didn't use them all. The writer called the bechamel a "thin sauce" but it actually should be very thick - about the same consistency as a yogurt. Make sure to drain your meat very well and, if necessary, spoon out the liquid before adding the meat to the casserole. Let your moussaka cool for a good 30 minutes before serving. This is a good recipe, but my greatest advice if you have never made moussaka before - seriously, review the recipe several times and start cooking it 4 hours before you intend on eating it. Also, if possible, have a friend/child/spouse on hand to help you out. Don't give up, it gets easier as you go!

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Elizabeth

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Reviewed: Jul. 2, 2008

Recipe was great, would give it 5 stars with a few modifications. Added lamb to the ground beef for a nice rich flavor for the minced meat. Used 2 crushed garlic cloves instead of 1 and doubled the amount of cinnamon and nutmeg. Added 2 egg whites to the bechamel sauce to ensure a fluffy top that would brown nicely. Delicious traditional greek fare, VERY filling.

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JJnicespice

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Long Island, New York, USA

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Reviewed: Jun. 6, 2008

I never made Moussaka before and it turned out great, everyone loved it, tasted very similar to the Greek Restaurant I go to, if not better. I did follow the advice of many of the previous reviewers, by broiling the eggplant, using very little olive oil, and adding feta cheese in addition to the parmesean, and itlaian season for the fine herbs.

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