Bake the Moussaka Eggplant/Aubergine Layers

Cut the eggplants in approx. 1/2 inch or 1 cm-thick slices, and place them in a large container. Sprinkle them with 1-2 tablespoons of salt, and leave them aside for roughly half an hour. This is called 'sweating the eggplants,' and it helps cut down on the bitterness of the eggplants.

After 30 minutes, pat them dry with a paper towel. Place your eggplant slices on baking trays, and brush them with olive oil.

Preheat your oven to 460° F or 240 °C. Bake the eggplant slices in the oven for roughly 15 minutes. Afterward, pull them out of the oven and let them cool.

Make the Moussaka Meat FillingWe can make this filling while we're waiting 30 minutes for the eggplant slices to “sweat.”

Dice the onions and mince the garlic.

In a pan over medium heat, add one tablespoon of oil and the diced onion, and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, and cook for one more minute.

Add the ground beef or lamb and stir periodically, until the meat is cooked and no longer pink.

Add the wine, and cook for about 10 minutes (or until you can no longer smell the alcohol).

Finally, add the canned tomatoes, the tomato puree, beef stock/bouillon cube, sugar, oregano, cinnamon, and salt. Cook over low-medium heat until most of the juices have evaporated, about 10-15 minutes.

Make the Greek Béchamel sauceWe can make this sauce while we're waiting 30 minutes for the eggplant slices to “sweat.”

Warm up the milk on the stove or in the microwave.

Next, in a pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring quickly to form a well-blended paste (or “roux”). This should all take about 2 minutes. Don’t let the butter brown!

After the mixture blends nicely, start adding the milk, very slowly, while whisking to incorporate it into the mixture while it thickens. Bring it to a boil and immediately lower the heat, stirring it for 2-3 more minutes over low heat.

After the mixture thickens, remove from fire and add the cheese, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg (optional).

Allow it to rest for a few minutes, and add the eggs.

Assemble the Moussaka, Bake, and Serve

Set your oven temperature to 350°F or 175°C while assembling the moussaka so that it’s ready to go into the oven as soon as you’re done assembling it.

Layer out half of the eggplant slices on the baking dish.

Place the meat filling on top.

Add the remaining half of the eggplant slices.

Top with the Béchamel sauce. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.

Take it out of the oven, and wait for it to cool down until it's warm to touch (about 15 minutes).

Now it's ready to serve. Kalí órexi! Enjoy your meal!