Grilled Eggplant Moussaka

What makes the difference in this traditional Greek recipe is the grilled, not fried, vegetables, including eggplant, potatoes and zucchini. It's a lighter version of the famous Greek dish consumed in great quantities every summer in my country, by locals and tourists equally.

• Preparation Time: 50 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
• Calories: 722 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 ½ pounds ground beef
• 5 cups milk
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 5 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 3 large potatoes, thinly sliced
• 3 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 3 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate.

Step 3

Brush eggplant, potatoes, and zucchini lightly with extra-virgin olive oil. Grill vegetables until just tender and golden brown. Layer potatoes into the bottom of a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Next layer in the eggplant, followed by the zucchini; set aside.

Step 4

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook until the flour smells slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Whisk in milk, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Place the egg yolk into a bowl, and quickly whisk in 1/4 cup of the thickened milk, a tablespoon at a time. Quickly stir the egg yolk mixture into the thickened milk until smooth, then set aside.

Step 5

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the ground beef and onion, and cook until the beef is crumbly and no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease, then stir in the oregano, parsley, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Turn heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 6

To assemble, spread the meat mixture over the vegetables, and sprinkle with the feta cheese. Pour the white sauce overtop, and smooth with a spatula.

Step 7

Bake moussaka in preheated oven until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes.