INGREDIENTS:

Meat Sauce/Filling:

• 1 pound lean ground beef or lamb

• 2 large onions, finely chopped

• 2 – 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 - 6 ounce can tomato paste

• ¾ - 1 cup water or broth (may substitute up to 1/2 cup wine for water or broth)

• 1/8-teaspoon allspice

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon Greek oregano

• Salt & pepper to taste

Eggplant:

• 3 large eggplants

• Vegetable oil

• Flour (optional)

• Egg (optional)

Cream Sauce:

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1/2 cup butter

• 2 cups warmed milk

• 4 eggs, beaten

• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

• Dash nutmeg

• Salt to taste  

DIRECTIONS:

Meat Sauce/Filling:

• Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent; do not brown.

• In separate pan, brown ground beef or lamb; drain well.

• Add browned ground meat, tomato paste, water, broth, or wine, nutmeg, allspice cinnamon, and oregano to onion mixture.

• Simmer about 20 minutes over medium heat; sauce will not be juicy.

• Season to taste with salt and pepper (do not over salt).

Cream Sauce:

• Melt butter and stir in flour.

• Cook over medium/low heat, stirring until mixture is well blended and bubbling.

• Off heat, add warmed milk slowly and stir continuously until sauce is well blended and thickened.

• Sauce will be quite thick.

• Season lightly with salt.

• Allow sauce to cool.

• Add beaten eggs to sauce; stir until all sauce is blended with eggs.

• Stir in ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and dash nutmeg.

Eggplant:

• If desired, peel eggplant.

• Slice into 1/3-1/2 inch rounds.

• Sprinkle both sides of slices heavily with salt.

• Set aside on paper towels to absorb moisture for at least 30 minutes.

• Rinse eggplant slices and blot completely dry.

• Choose a browning method for eggplant:

1. Baked – Brush eggplant slices with oil and bake in 425 degrees oven, turning once, until both sides are golden brown (about 10 minutes per side); do not overcook.

2.  Broiled – Brush eggplant slices with oil and broil, turning once, until both sides are golden brown (about 5-7 minutes per side); do not overcook.

3. Fried – Coat the eggplant pieces generously with flour (if desired, dip slices in egg wash and flour a second time); heat oil in a skillet and fry eggplant, turning once, until golden brown; do not overcook; drain well on paper towels.

Moussaka Assembly:

• Brush bottom and sides of deep 13” x 9” baking dish with olive oil.

• Place 1/2 of eggplant slices onto bottom of pan; cut slices to fit so that the entire surface is completely covered with eggplant.

• Spoon meat mixture over eggplant.

• Top with remaining eggplant slices; cut slices to fit so that the entire surface is completely covered with eggplant.

• Pour cream sauce over all; spread evenly to completely cover all the eggplant.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes (the top should be set, slightly puffy, and nicely browned).

• Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.

VARIATIONS:

Potato:

For easier serving and a firmer texture, potatoes may be substituted for part or for all of the eggplant. Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/3-1/2 inch thick slices and fry before assembling the casserole. Place potato layer on bottom of casserole.

Summer Squash:

Summer squash (zucchini, crookneck, pattypan, etc.)  may be substituted for part or for all of the eggplant. Cut squash lengthwise into 1/3-1/2 inch thick slices and either fry or bake before assembling the casserole. Do not overcook squash, and do not use overgrown squash with large seeds.  

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