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Yaya's delicious traditional recipe!
I lived on a tiny island in Greece for 4 years & in addition to my phenomenal beach views I also had an amazing adopted Yaya (grandma) who was constantly stuffing me full of delicious Greek delicacies. I’d join her in the kitchen, when she’d allow it, in an attempt to learn some of her culinary secrets.

And so without further ado, here’s my teensy-bit-lower-fat version of Yaya’s Moussaka

Posted by Confessions of a Refashionista from Toronto, Ontario, Canada • Published 7th July 2015 • See Confessions of a Refashionista's 70 projects »

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Step 1
Ingredients: 1 aubergine (a.k.a: eggplant), 1 zucchini, 1 – 2 onions, 8 cherry tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cinnamon, olive oil, 500g minced beef (or lamb), 1 can mushrooms, sea salt, 2 tbsp tomato paste, grated cheese & a 300ml pkg bechamel sauce (or make your own with the recipe in this post)
Step 2
quarter the aubergine & slice into 1cm-ish pieces
Step 3
place in a colander & sprinkle with sea salt
Step 4
chop the zucchini into 1cm-ish pieces
Step 5
add to the aubergine colander, sprinkle with sea salt & set aside for 10 – 15 mins
Step 6
dice the onion(s) & garlic
Step 7
brown the meat, onions & garlic in a large, heavy-based pot
Step 8
chop up the tomatoes, drain the mushrooms & add to the beef mixture along with the tomato paste, cinnamon & nutmeg…remove from heat & set aside for now
Step 9
I also like to add a pinch or three of Krauter der Provence – a herb & spice mixture made up of rosemary, thyme, bohnenkraut, marjoram, basil & oregano
Step 10
rinse the zucchini & aubergine under cold water
Step 11
lay flat & pat dry with paper towel
Step 12
heat up a non-stick frying pan, add some olive oil & fry up the zucchini & aubergine pieces
Step 13
grab an ovenproof baking dish & arrange a layer of zucchini & aubergine on the bottom
Step 14
add a layer of the meat mixture
Step 15
open the package of bechamel sauce & drizzle a layer on top of the meat mixture

Here's how to create your own bechamel sauce:

5og butter, 50g flour, 400ml milk, 1 tsp nutmeg, 25g grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter in large saucepan & add the flour, cook for a few seconds then slowly whisk in the milk. Add the cheese & nutmeg. Simmer for 5 – 7 minutes…all done!
Step 16
continue layering & drizzling until your dish is full – or you run out of ingredients
Step 17
top with your fave grated cheese
Step 18
bake at 180C/350F/Gasmark 4 for 50 minutes – until golden brown & bubbling
Step 19
remove from the oven & serve…
Step 20
Let the marvelous moussaka take your taste buds to Greece!