Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2 eggplants
1/2 tsp. salt
Meat Sauce:
2 lbs. ground lamb or lean beef
1 Tbsp. butter
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsps. parsley
8 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 c. red wine
Béchamel Sauce:
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
1 c. whipping cream
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. Monterey jack cheese, grated
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Directions: |
Directions:Peel and cut eggplant into 1/4" slices, sprinkle with salt and set aside.
To prepare Meat sauce: Saute ground meat in butter with salt and pepper, onions, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, parsley and tomato sauce. Add wine and simmer 20 minutes (or longer), stirring occasionally.
To make Béchamel sauce: Melt butter and stir in flour. Gradually add milk and cream, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add egg yolks in a slow stream away from heat and stirring constantly. Return to heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes longer. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Wipe eggplant dry and quickly brown in olive oil. (Over the years I've simplified this step and I brush the eggplant with olive oil and bake on a cookie sheet with baker's paper on it till tender at 350º turning halfway through. Don't undercook.)
Assemble in a 9"X13" pan, place a layer of eggplant, then cover with meat sauce, sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese, cover with eggplant, sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese, cover with béchamel sauce and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350º for 1 hour.
Adaptation: I've also cooked up potatoes, mashed them and layered them in the moussaka with good success. |
This recipe for Moussaka is from