Moussaka-Stuffed Eggplant (Papoutsakia)
A delicious Greek dish also known as 'little shoes' (Papoutsakia). Roasted eggplants are hollowed out to make boats, stuffed with a flavorful ground meat and tomato filling, topped with a rich, velvety Béchamel sauce and cheese, then baked to golden perfection. Chef's tips: (1) Salting and draining the eggplants is a crucial step to remove bitterness and prevent the final dish from becoming soggy. (2) Keep the meat juicy by not over-cooking it during the initial browning phase. (3) Always temper the egg yolks with a small amount of hot Béchamel before adding them back to the pot to ensure a silky-smooth sauce without scrambled egg bits. (4) Kefalotyri is a salty, hard Greek cheese, but you can substitute it with Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, or crumbled Feta.
- Time: 120 min
- Servings: 4
Source: ChefChef
Ingredients
- medium Eggplants
- to taste Salt
- Ground beef or ground lamb
- medium Yellow onion, finely chopped
- Garlic cloves, grated
- Finely ground red pepper or red pepper flakes
- Dried oregano
- a pinch Smoked cinnamon
- a pinch Ground allspice
- Tomato paste
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Chicken or beef stock
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Egg yolks
- to taste White pepper
- Grated Kefalotyri cheese
- for garnish Fresh mint and flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped