Grilled Moussaka

Ingredients:

Meat sauce with eggplant

• 700 g eggplant, peeled and cut into 0.5 cm thick circles.
• Olive oil to drizzle
• 450 g of ground beef (or 220 g of ground beef and 220 g of ground lamb)
• 1 large yellow or red onion, peeled and diced
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• A small bunch of fresh oregano
• 1 can (80 g) of canned crushed tomatoes
• Pecorino
• Fresh parsley

Béchamel sauce

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 0.5 cups flour
• 2.5 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp. grated pecorino
• 2 large egg yolks
• Zest of 1 lemon

Preparation:

1. Preheat the grill using the indirect heat zone. If you have a charcoal grill, rake the coals to one side. If you have a gas grill, preheat only one side.
2. Meat sauce with eggplant:
   
   Season the eggplant slices with salt and pepper on both sides and drizzle with olive oil. Grill the eggplants over direct heat, turning once, until tender and golden, 5–7 minutes. If necessary, move them to a cooler part of the grill. Transfer the eggplant slices to a baking sheet or plate and set aside.
3. Place a 6-quart heavy-bottomed skillet over direct heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil along with the ground beef, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the ground beef, until well browned and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Then add the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
4. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Tie the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and oregano into a spice bundle. Add the crushed tomatoes and herb bundle to the pan. Place the pan over indirect heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the spice bundle.
5. Béchamel sauce:
   
   Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over direct heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook until smooth, 3–4 minutes. Gradually whisk in half the milk, and once the sauce is smooth and lump-free, add the remaining half of the milk and nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and velvety, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the pecorino. Set aside to cool slightly, then whisk in the egg yolks and lemon zest.
6. Assembly:
   
   Place the eggplant slices in a cast-iron skillet and pour the meat sauce over them. Drizzle the béchamel sauce over them, spreading it evenly. Place over indirect heat, cover, and cook until lightly golden brown and bubbly on top, about 40 minutes. Remove the moussaka from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Grate some pecorino on top and sprinkle with chopped parsley. You can also bake the moussaka in the oven at 200°C (400°F) for 45 minutes.