Greek-style Eggplant Gratin

Tender eggplant slices layered with meat simmered in red wine and cinnamon. Topped with a thick, golden-brown bechamel that coats every bite.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 60 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 970
• Protein: 50 g
• Carbs: 33 g
• Fat: 67 g

Ingredients

• 3 piece Eggplant (aubergine) ( sliced )
• 500 g Ground beef 15% fat ( fresh )
• 1 piece Yellow onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 400 g Round tomato ( crushed )
• 100 ml Red wine
• 100 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
• 1 tbsp Oregano
• 50 g Minimum butter sweet
• 50 g Wheat flour
• 500 ml Whole milk
• 1 piece Egg ( beaten )
• 80 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste

Instructions

1. Preparing the eggplants

   Slice the eggplants into 1 cm rounds. Brush them with olive oil and bake at 200°C until soft and colored. The flesh should be tender under pressure.

2. Cooking the meat

   Sauté the chopped onion and garlic. Add the ground beef and brown it well. Stir in the tomato paste, deglaze with red wine and let it reduce. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and cinnamon. The sauce should be short and thick, with no residual juice.

3. Making the bechamel

   Melt the butter, add the flour to make a roux. Gradually pour in the milk while whisking until thickened. Off the heat, stir in the egg and nutmeg to bind everything.

4. Assembly and baking

   Alternate layers of eggplant and meat in a dish. Finish with the bechamel and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and firm.

Chef's tips

• Salt the eggplants for 30 minutes before cooking to remove bitterness.
• The bechamel should be thicker than a standard sauce to keep the gratin from becoming soggy.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Better reheated the next day once the flavors have infused.