Lamb and Eggplant Moussaka with Silky Cheese Béchamel

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A proper Sunday-dinner moussaka with no potatoes and no flour in sight. Roasted eggplant planks replace the starch, cinnamon-spiced ground lamb does the heavy lifting, and the béchamel is built from cream cheese, heavy cream and egg yolks so it sets into a golden, custardy blanket. Rich, deeply savory, and it slices cleanly after a rest.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants (about 2 lb total)
• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 lb ground lamb
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/3 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3 oz feta, crumbled

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Trim the eggplants and slice lengthwise into planks a scant 1/2 inch thick. Lay them on two parchment-lined sheet pans, brush both sides with the 5 tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher salt.
2. Roast the eggplant for 25 to 30 minutes, swapping the pan positions halfway, until the planks are floppy, deeply browned at the edges, and dry to the touch. Set aside and leave the oven on, reducing it to 375°F.
3. While the eggplant roasts, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 to 6 minutes until softened and translucent, then add the garlic and cook 45 seconds until fragrant.
4. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the ground lamb. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until no pink remains and the meat has started to brown and sizzle in its own fat. Do not drain the fat.
5. Stir in the cinnamon, allspice, oregano, 1 tsp salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and fry it into the meat for another minute, until it darkens to brick red.
6. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth, scrape the bottom of the pan, and simmer over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and glossy with almost no free liquid. Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat.
7. Make the béchamel: combine the cream cheese and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes until completely smooth and steaming but not boiling. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 3 minutes.
8. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then stream in about 1/2 cup of the warm cream mixture while whisking hard to temper. Scrape that back into the saucepan and whisk in the parmesan, nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp salt. The sauce should coat a spoon thickly.
9. Assemble in a 9x13-inch baking dish: line the bottom with half the eggplant planks, overlapping slightly. Spread all of the lamb sauce evenly over the top, scatter the crumbled feta across it, then cover with the remaining eggplant.
10. Pour the béchamel over the top layer and spread it to the corners with a spatula so the eggplant is fully covered. Bake at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is puffed and browned in patches and the center registers 165°F.
11. Let the moussaka rest 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. It will slice into clean squares once the custard sets; serve warm.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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