Greek Eggplant Moussaka

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lb ground chuck or 1 lb ground lamb
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon.chopped parsley
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 small eggplants
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (fresh preferred)
• cream, sauce
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan.
• 2 cook the ground meat with the onions, garlic and salt and pepper until browned.
• 3 add the parsley, and tomato sauce and simmer it for about 15 minutes.
• 4 remove meat mixture from heat and set aside.
• 5 slice the eggplants and soak them in a deep bowl of water with an addiitional 1 teaspoon of salt for 15 minutes.
• 6 drain the eggplant slices well in a single layer on top of several layers of paper towels.
• 7 top with a few more layers of paper towels and press down so to squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible.
• 8 fry the eggplant slices in the hot vegetable oil, draining after browning each slice on both sides.
• 9 set the fried eggplant aside.
• 10 make the cream sauce as follow:.
• 11 melt the 4 tablespoons of the butter.
• 12 then add the 3 tablespoons of flour and stir until golden brown.
• 13 add the 3 cups of milk gradually, stirring until thickened.
• 14 add sauce to slightly beaten egg yolks, a tablespoon at a time.
• 15 cook over low heat until thickened.
• 16 season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 17 remove the cream sauce from the heat and set aside.
• 18 to combine the ingredients:.
• 19 alternate the fried eggplant slices with the meat mixture in a deep 9 inch square baking dish, ending with eggplant on the top layer.
• 20 spread the cream sauce over the top.
• 21 sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.
• 22 bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.