Greek Moussaka Recipe

6

Ingredients

3 large eggplants
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, sliced in thin circles
1 handful fresh oregano leaves, chopped
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 pounds ground lamb
1 cinnamon stick
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
If you don't mind the calories, top with a Béchamel Sauce
1 ⁄4 cup butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 cups hot milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 ⁄2 cup grated kefalograviera cheese (use Parmesan if unavailable)

Preparation

Step 1

To prepare the eggplants:

Cut off the stems
remove the skin with a vegetable peeler
cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices
Season all the pieces of eggplant with salt and pepper on both sides
Coat a large skillet with oil and heat over medium flame
Fry the eggplant in a single layer, turning once, until brown on both sides- you will need to do this in batches, adding more oil, as necessary
Drain the eggplant as they cook on a paper towel-lined platter.

Add a little more oil to the pan and toss in the
onion,
garlic,
lemon slices,
oregano, and
parsley.
Cook and stir until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add the ground lamb, stirring to break up the meat;
season with salt and pepper, and
toss in the cinnamon stick.

Stir in the tomato paste and hand-crushed tomatoes.

Simmer until the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with 1/3 of the eggplant slices; they should completely cover the bottom with no gaps.
Spread 1/2 of the meat sauce over the eggplant, evening it out with a spatula.
Sprinkle with 1/2 of the feta and Parmesan.

Repeat the layers again, ending with a final layer of eggplant.

Cover the top with a nice even layer of bread crumbs.

///If using the Béchamel Sauce

In saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat; whisk in flour and cook slowly until smooth and lightly cooked (2-3 minutes);

add salt and remove from heat;

add milk, whisking rapidly and return to heat;

cook until thick and bubbly, whisking constantly; allow to cool 5 minutes, whisking once in a while to prevent a skin from forming;

incorporate eggs and grated cheese with wire whisk to make fluffy sauce.
////

Bake the moussaka for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden.
Let cool 10 minutes before serving.