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1.
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Take the sliced eggplant and transfer it all into a colander in the sink.
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Sprinkle salt liberally all over the eggplant, then let it sit for an hour.
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The salt draws out a lot of the moisture so the moussaka doesnt get soggy.
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It also takes out a lot of the bitterness to make the eggplant perfect for baking.
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2.
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When the hour is up, preheat the oven to 400 F and line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil.
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In a large shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk together.
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Get the breadcrumbs into another large, shallow bowl.
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Take the first eggplant slice and dip it into the egg mixture first, then coat it in breadcrumbs before transferring it to the baking sheet.
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Repeat with the rest of the eggplant to fill all three sheets in a single layer.
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3.
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Bake the eggplant for 30 minutes to get it super flavorful and tender.
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While it bakes, prepare the bechamel sauce according to my related recipe (see my TastyKitchen recipe box or related blog link).
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It takes about 25 minutes total.
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Once the bechamel sauce is cooking, its time to make the super fragrant meat mixture for the moussaka.
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4.
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Take a large rondeau pan and heat some olive oil in it over medium high heat.
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Add the ground beef and let it get completely brown as you break it up with a spoon.
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Then the onion, garlic, cilantro and mint go in.
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Stir and heat to get fragrant for 30 seconds.
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Season the mixture with the cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and coriander and mix it all well.
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Add the tomato paste and red wine and let them both cook off for a minute.
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Lastly, pour in the marinara sauce and let the whole mixture simmer and meld for 10-15 minutes.
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It should be done at the same time as the bechamel sauce!
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Take both the bechamel sauce and meat mixture off of the heat and set them aside.
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5.
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The eggplant should be done at this point too.
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Take it out of the oven and reduce the oven heat to 350 F. Its time to just put this baby together!
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Take a large lasagna pan and lightly grease the bottom with olive oil.
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Evenly distribute the breadcrumbs on top of the olive oil.
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Layer the first tray of eggplant on top of the breadcrumbs, then layer half of the meat mixture on top of the eggplant.
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Finish the layer with about 1/4 cup of the freshly grated Parmesan.
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6.
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Repeat this with the next tray of eggplant, the remaining meat mixture and another 1/4 cup of Parmesan.
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Finish the assembly with the last of the eggplant on top.
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Pour the bechamel sauce on top of the layers and spread it out evenly, then sprinkle the last of the Parmesan evenly on the very top.
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Get the assembled moussaka into the oven for about 45 minutes.
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7.
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The bechamel should get golden with little brown spots when the moussaka is done.
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Take it out of the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
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Then cut out the desired sized portions and serve immediately!
