Moussaka 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup coarse dry bread crumbs
• 2 cups Mozzarella or other white cooking cheese

Directions

A Moussaka is constructed out of three parts that need prior preparation: fried eggplant, a white sauce and a tomato meat sauce, and also bread crumbs and cheese.

The Eggplant

3 Medium eggplants, peel, slice 2/3 in. thick, salt and let drain for 1/2 hour while you prepare the white sauce and start the red sauce. Then dry eggplant and shake in a bag with flour and a good grind of black pepper. Brown in a bit of hot olive oil. Be careful with the amount of oil, and use only enough to brown a few slices at a time. The eggplant will absorb an amazing amount of oil if you let it, and things can become very greasy indeed.

Drain the eggplant and reserve.

White Sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat melt the butter and add the flour stir until smooth and bubbly remove from the heat and add the milk. Return to the heat and bring slowly to a boil stirring constantly. Boil stirring one minute.

Whisk a cup of this mixture into the eggs. Whisk the egg mixture back into the white sauce and simmer, whisking constantly until thick.

Add a good grating of nutmeg and a dash Tabasco Sauce

Let White Sauce cool. It should be quite thick. (Note: the white sauce can be prepared a day ahead of time and refrigerated.)

Red Meat Sauce

Brown the lamb well in the olive oil in heavy frying pan

Drain

Add the onion and garlic. Cook until onion is limp.

Add the tomato sauce, cinnamon, oregano, parsley, mint, salt and pepper.

Simmer gently until quite thick. (Note: the red sauce can be prepared well ahead of time, and keeps refrigerated.)

To assemble the Moussaka

Use a good sized casserole with a cover. Put about 1/3 of the eggplant on the bottom in a solid layer. Trim eggplant to fit.

Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture on top. Spread 1/3 of white sauce over meat. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese, 1/3 cup of crumbs.

Repeat this set of layers. Then put in a layer of the rest of the eggplant, the rest of the white sauce and cover with the rest of the crumbs.

Cover, and bake at 350° F. for an hour, uncover and bake until browned on top and bubbly.

Garnish top with a sprinkle of red chili powder or paprika and a small handful of chopped parsley.

Serve with a green salad, good bread and a bottle of light red wine. Greek Retsina wine is an acquired taste, but quite wonderful with this.

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