• Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
• Peel and cut the potatoes into narrow round slices about 1 cm thick.
• Place them raw at the bottom of the oven tray to make sure you have cut enough.
• Leave the potatoes in water until you are ready to fry.
• Wash the eggplants, and remove the skin across the length to make them less bitter. Also, cut into long and narrow round slices about 1 cm thick. Place them in an oven tray to make sure you have enough and then place them in a bowl with water until you’re ready to fry.
• Follow the same procedure for the zucchini (if using).
• Add enough sunflower oil to a frying pan, preheat, and start frying the potatoes, first. Continue with the zucchini and end with the eggplants (so they do not stain the frying oil).
• Remember to add extra oil as needed, especially because eggplants tend to absorb a lot of oil during the frying procedure.
• Once all the vegetables have been fried, remove the excess of oil using paper towel and get ready to prepare the meat sauce.

Meat sauce

• Place ½ cup of olive oil into a pan, add the diced onion, carrot, and pepper, and salt to taste, and let them cook until they’re slightly brown.
• Add the chopped garlic and when it is slightly golden add the minced meat. When you add the minced meat make sure you thoroughly separate it into smaller pieces so that there are no big chunks of meat visible.
• Incorporate the tomato paste and add a shot of wine or cognac to enhance the taste. Once the alcohol evaporates, add the grated tomato, and the cinnamon stick, and let all cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add all the remaining ingredients (save the parsley for now) and enough water so it doesn’t burn. Also, add some tomato sauce.
• Let it simmer for 30 minutes, adding water as needed and parsley in the last 10 minutes.
• Taste for salt, remove the cinnamon stick, and set aside to cool down.

Bechamel Sauce

• Pour the three cups of milk into a small pot and heat until it slightly simmers.
• In a separate pot melt 6 tbsp of butter. As soon as it melts add 14 tbsp. of flour in butter while whisking continually.
• Don’t be afraid yet, mixing butter and flour won’t make any slumps, so you’re ok for now
• When the mixture turns slightly yellow, slowly add the milk mixture and continue whisking.
• This is the lump-risk moment, but don’t panic! The secret is to add the milk just a very little at a time while you never stop whisking.
• Add enough of the milk mixture until the sauce is creamy and flows slowly off the spoon.
• Remove from the fire once the first two or three bubbles appear and add cheese.
• Once removed from the heat, add two fresh eggs and freshly grated nutmeg and whisk once again. Set aside.

Layering the Moussaka

• Place a layer of potatoes at the bottom of the tray. Place the smaller pieces wherever there are large gaps so that the bottom of the tray is completely covered.
• Sprinkle with grated cheese (a good Italian Parmesan cheese works wonders).
• Add the meat sauce, spread it smoothly and evenly, and sprinkle with cheese.
• Add a layer of eggplants and sprinkle with cheese, alternating with meat sauce, and then add the final layer of zucchini.
• Cover the tray with enough béchamel sauce and once again sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Cook in the oven until the white béchamel turns into a delicious golden brown, or until it reaches the color that you prefer (anything from 25 to 40 minutes).
• Let it cool for a few minutes to cut it easily and serve.