by Carl Eppig » Mon Jul 28, 2014 6:29 pm
MOUSSAKA:
3 Medium eggplants peeled and sliced ½” thick
Salt
1 to 2 C Olive oil
1 C finely chopped Onion
2 lbs Lean ground lamb
1 lb can Tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 medium Tomato, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 6 oz can Tomato paste & enough red wine to make 1 cup
1 tsp minced Garlic
1 tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Allspice
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Salt
Pepper mill
2 C grated Kassari cheese
Sauce Besamel:
2 C Milk
1 tbl Butter
3 Eggs
¼ C Flour
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Nutmeg
Melt butter and stir in flour until a roux forms. Mix ½ cup milk with eggs, salt, and nutmeg. Add to roux, stirring constantly. Warm rest of milk and add, stirring until sauce is thickened.
Salt eggplant slice and allow to drain on paper towels for 45 minutes. Pat dry. Brown slightly in just enough oil. Use sparingly. In large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven cook onions in ¼ cup of olive oil until soft. Add garlic and lamb, and brown meat over medium high heat breaking it up with wooden fork or spoon until all red turns brown. Add spices and herbs, tomatoes, and tomato paste mixture. Cook over moderate heat until mixture is “dry” and clings to spoon. Put about one cup of sauce in bottom of lasagna pan. Layer on half the eggplant, sprinkle on one third of the cheese, and add rest of meat sauce. Place remaining eggplant on top of sauce, sprinkled with another third of the cheese. Top with Sauce Besamel and rest of cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, and then 15 additional minutes at 400 degrees until brown.