Greek Moussaka

By JimMac

Ingredients

• 4 large eggplants
• 1 t salt
• flour for coating
• 1/2 cup oil
• MEAT SAUCE
• 2 T butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 lbs. ground chuck (beef)
• 1/2 lb. lean ground pork
• 1 T salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 2 T parsley, chopped
• 3 T tomato sauce
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup grated Romano cheese
• 2 slices dry toast, grated
• CREAM SAUCE
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 T flour
• 1/4 cup cold milk
• 2-3/4 cups warm milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 3 whole eggs, beaten
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• TOPPING
• 1/3 cup grated Mozzarella

Preparation

Step 1

Peel eggplant and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Salt both sides heavily, let sit for 30 minutes. Pour cold water over eggplant and let sit for 10 minutes more. Squeeze the water out and blot dry with paper towels. The natural bitterness will be gone. Coat the pieces with flour. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and fry eggplant until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Sauté the onion in butter, add the ground meat, and brown well. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, parsley, tomato sauce, wine and boiling water. Cover and cook until the sauce thickens. Beat the eggs and add. Add cheese and half the grated toast and mix well.
Grease a 12x10x3-inch baking pan. Spread remaining half of toast crumbs over bottom. Arrange half the eggplant over crumbs. Cover with meat sauce, then sprinkle 2 T of cheese from topping over it. Cover this with remaining eggplant.
To make the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan. Make a paste of the flour and cold milk and add the flour paste, warm milk and half and half to the pan. Blend until smooth and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the eggs and yolks, stirring vigorously. Add salt, nutmeg and 1/3 cup cheese. Bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.