Shortcut Moussaka
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, sliced into thin
- rounds Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high
- heat. Add ground beef and chopped onion and cook until beef is
- brown, breaking up beef with fork, about 15 minutes. Mix in tomato
- sauce, red wine, parsley, crumbled oregano and ground cinnamon.
- Simmer until mixture thickens and is almost dry, stirring occasionally,
- about 20 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and
- refrigerate.)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 3500F. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Boil until thick, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Beat eggs in small bowl to blend. Whisk small amount of milk mixture into eggs. Return mixture to saucepan. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Remove custard from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Season custard to taste with salt and pepper. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange half of eggplant in bottom of dish. Season with salt and pepper. Spread meat mixture over. Top with remaining eggplant. Pour hot custard cheese sauce over eggplant. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover loosely with foil and bake 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking until golden and bubbling on edges, about 10 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes. 12 servings
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