Moussaka

Total Time: 4 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 2 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 large onions
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups mushrooms, minced, ground (if you insist upon using meat substitute 1 lb beef/lamb)
• 3 tomatoes, peeled and pureed
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• olive oil
• 3 lbs eggplants
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 2 cups kefalotyri or 2 cups parmesan cheese, grated

Recipe

• 1 first make the tomato sauce: peel and mince onions. saute onions in 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter, over moderate heat, until they are soft and lightly colored (about 8 minutes). add mush- rooms and saute. stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, parsley, seasonings and sugar.
• 2 reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, and the mixture is quite thick. remove skillet from heat and let it cool completely.
• 3 start seasoning the eggplants: peel eggplants and slice vertically, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. sprinkle lightly with salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
• 4 now make the bechamel sauce. note: the bechamel-egg-ricotta mixture will overflow all but the largest (professional size) food processors. use a mixer or blend by hand.place the milk in a saucepan, and heat it just until tiny bubbles appear along the edges. remove and set aside.
• 5 melt the butter in 3-quart saucepan over very low heat until foamy, being careful not to brown. slowly add the 6 tbsp flour, stirring constantly until smooth (3-4 minutes), and still being careful not to let it brown.
• 6 add the milk slowly, whipping with a wire whisk. when the mixture is thick and smooth, remove it from the heat and stir in seasonings.
• 7 stir ricotta cheese until it is smooth and creamy. gently fold it into the bechamel sauce. stir in beaten eggs until thoroughly incorporated.
• 8 back to the eggplant: rinse well with cold water; squeeze gently and pat dry. dredge the eggplant in 1 1/2 cups flour, and saute each in olive oil until it is brown on both sides.
• 9 remove and discard any excess oil that has risen to the top of the tomato mixture. lightly grease a 16x10 baking pan that is at least 3 inches deep, and sprinkle the bottom with a few breadcrumbs.
• 10 place a layer of eggplant in the pan, following with a layer of tomato mixture. sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated cheese. repeat as many times as you have eggplant to last. pour the bechamel-ricotta sauce over the top and bake at 300 deg. f for one hour, or until a golden-brown crust has formed on top.
• 11 remove moussaka from oven and let it stand undisturbed 20-30 minutes; the delay allows the layers to fuse.
• 12