Top | Tom's box

Mousaka

(recipe, Tom Koehler)

Ingredients

  1. 3 medium eggplants
  2. 1 cup flour
  3. 1 cup olive oil
  4. 1 lg. onion, chopped
  5. 1 lb. ground lamb
  6. 4 ripe tomatoes, seeded, chopped
  7. 8 oz. tomato puree
  8. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  9. 1 tsp. dried oregano
  10. ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  11. 1 tsp. salt
  12. 4 oz. freshly grated kefalotiri cheese
  13. Sauce:
  14. 2 cups milk
  15. 2 Tbsp. butter
  16. 3 eggs
  17. ½ tsp. salt
  18. ¼ cup flour

Steps

  1. Greece
  2. Lamb and Eggplant Casserole (Moussaka)
  3. Moussaka
  4. 3 medium eggplants
  5. 1 cup flour
  6. 1-½ cups olive oil
  7. 1 lg. onion, chopped
  8. 1-½ pounds ground lamb
  9. 4 ripe tomatoes, seeded, chopped
  10. 8 ounces tomato puree
  11. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  12. 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  13. ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  14. 1 teaspoon salt
  15. 4 ounces freshly grated kefalotiri cheese
  16. Peel the eggplants and slice lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices. Sprinkle salt on both sides and lay on paper towels for 30 minutes to "sweat". Dry thoroughly, then dip lightly in flour.
  17. Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat-high heat. Add the eggplant slices and cook until lightly golden on both sides. Cook in batches, adding olive oil as necessary; set aside.
  18. Make sure there are at least 2 tablespoons of oil in the skillet, and saute the onions for 5 minutes. Add the lamb and cook until no pink show, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, until liquid has evaporated.
  19. Sauce:
  20. 2 cups milk
  21. 2 tablespoons butter
  22. 3 eggs
  23. ½ teaspoon salt
  24. ¼ cup flour
  25. Heat 1-½ cups of milk in a small pan until tiny bubbles appear around the rim. Remove from the heat. In a large pan, beat the eggs with a whisk. Add the remaining ½ cup of milk, salt, and flour and whisk until smooth. Heat mixture gently over low heat, then slowly add heated milk. Whisk until smooth and thickens. Remove from heat.
  26. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a deep 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Lay half of the eggplant slices in the bottom. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese. Add the meat mixture and spread smooth. Add the remaining eggplant slices and ⅓ of the cheese. Cover with the sauce, then sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake for 35 minutes.