Yai-Yai's Moussaka

photo by Susiecat too

- Ready In:
- 1hr 45mins
- Ingredients:
- 22
- Serves:
-
6-9
ingredients
- 3 eggplants
- 3 white potatoes
- olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 - 1 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 3⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1⁄2 - 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- parmesan cheese (enough to sprinkle)
- feta cheese (enough to sprinkle)
- 1 -2 lb lean ground beef (preference)
- 6 -8 ounces tomato paste
- parsley (preference)
-
Cream Sauce
- 2 1⁄2 teaspoons butter
- 2 1⁄2 teaspoons flour
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
- 3 dashes nutmeg
- 3 dashes white pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
directions
-
Layers:
- Preheat oven to ‘’Broil’’.
- Wash eggplants and potatoes (peel). Cut lengthwise down the middle, then into ½ inch slices.
- Sprinkle salt on both sides of the eggplant and potato slices.
- Coat 2 baking trays with olive oil (one for each vegetable because potatoes will cook faster than the eggplant).
- Use paper towels to pat the salt absorbed moisture from the eggplant and potato slices (I suggest leaving a little moisture on the potatoes because they tend to dry out).
- Coat eggplant and potato slices with olive oil and place in oven until browned (light to medium). Flip and repeat.
- Coat a non-stick 9 x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
- Cover the bottom with your eggplant slices (potatoes will be used later).
- Set oven to 350°F.
-
Beef:
- In a saucepan, add olive oil, beef, and preferred amount of onion.
- Cook until beef is brown and the onion is tender.
- Drain excess fluid.
- Add garlic, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Very important: taste after mixing and adjust ingredients accordingly (some people might like a little more of a kick).
-
Heavy Construction:
- Pour enough beef mixture to cover eggplant.
- Layer with the potato slices.
- Cover with beef.
- Layer with eggplant slices.
- Make all the layers you can! Have fun with it, but remember to leave enough room for the cream sauce! Set aside.
-
Cream Sauce:
- Melt butter in saucepan.
- Stir in flour, salt, nutmeg, and white pepper.
- Remove from heat and slowly stir in milk.
- Return to heat until slightly thickened.
- In a small bowl beat the eggs and additional yolk.
- Temper the eggs by adding a bit of the hot mixture (If you don’t do this the eggs will instantly cook when they are added to the mixture).
- Over low heat: slowly add eggs to mixture. Mix well.
- *** Pour sauce over layers and sprinkle the cheeses.
- *** Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to an hour (whenever the sauce is brown).
- *** Let the moussaka cool (until room temperature) before refrigeration.
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Reviews
-
This was very good. I had to make a few substitutions, though, but I don't think they affected the outcome, which was delicious. I used soy replacement for meat, which browns like ground beef. I also used oil-packed sundried tomatoes, diced finely and with a little extra water, to replace the tomato paste. Otherwise . . . I followed the recipe. This was yummy, and full of complex flavors. Thanks, Asimakopoulou. Made for PAC Fall 2007