Greek Moussaka
For a fantastic casserole of meat that you may not have tried yet, look no further than the Mediterranean. The top layer of bechamel gives way to a wonderfully flavorful meat sauce layered between the eggplants to create a dish often compared to a Greek lasagna.
INGREDIENTS
Eggplant:
- 2 large or 3 medium eggplants cut into 1/2 rounds 2 large or 3 medium eggplants cut into 1/2 rounds
- Tomato meat sauce:
- 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons of butter 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon of sugar1 / 8 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 tbsp oregano1 tbsp oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1 / 4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup tomato paste 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 cup of red wine 1 cup of red wine
- 1 teaspoon of pepper 1 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 pound of ground or ground lamb 1 pound of ground or ground lamb
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
Cheese sauce:
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 eggs, beaten 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1 / 4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper 1 teaspoon of black pepper
Garnish:
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Garnish:
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
First, spray 9 X 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Then, prepare the eggplant: slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lightly sprinkle each side with salt and place in a colander on a plate for 20 minutes. Pat the slices with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Brush 1 to 2 baking sheets with olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on baking sheets, then brush the tops of the slices with a thin layer of olive oil. Roast in preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes or until eggplant is tender and starting to brown. Put aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Make the tomato sauce for the meat: In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add beef or lamb, stirring to break up meat. Add allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, salt, pepper and oregano. Cook until the meat is golden and there are no more roses in the meat. Drain off any excess fat. Add wine and cook until almost completely evaporated. Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce and cook over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Put aside.
Make Cheese Sauce: Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. In a medium sauce, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Stir in the hot milk, stirring often, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick. Stir in the nutmeg, salt, pepper and Parmesan. Let the sauce cool for 10 minutes. Slowly add the eggs and set aside.
Assemble: Arrange half of the eggplant slices in the prepared baking dish and pour half of the tomato meat sauce on top. Repeat a second layer of eggplant and the rest of the meat tomato sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the tomato meat sauce and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan evenly on top.
Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in the preheating oven (the temperature should be 400 degrees) for 50-60 minutes and Moussaka bubbles and the top is golden. Happy Cooking Time.
