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Mousaka
(recipe, Tom Koehler)
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggplants
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 lg. onion, chopped
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 4 ripe tomatoes, seeded, chopped
- 8 oz. tomato puree
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
- 4 oz. freshly grated kefalotiri cheese
- Sauce:
- 2 cups milk
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 3 eggs
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup flour
Steps
- Greece
- Lamb and Eggplant Casserole (Moussaka)
- Moussaka
- 3 medium eggplants
- 1 cup flour
- 1-½ cups olive oil
- 1 lg. onion, chopped
- 1-½ pounds ground lamb
- 4 ripe tomatoes, seeded, chopped
- 8 ounces tomato puree
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces freshly grated kefalotiri cheese
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sauce:
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup flour
- 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.
- 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.