Moussaka

Ingredients

1 pound ground lamb or beef
3 eachs medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 ounces onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped, or more to taste
1 as needed olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup red or white wine
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 to taste salt
1 to taste freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
2 eachs eggs, well beaten

Instructions

Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and place in colander and top with a weighted down plate (use a large can of something) and let stand 30 minutes. Saute onions and garlic in a little oil for about 5 minutes then add meat and brown, stirring to break up lumps. Mix together tomato paste, wine, cinnamon and parsley and pour over meat mixture. Season with salt and pepper, stir, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, dry eggplant slices with paper towels and saute until golden brown in olive oil. (They will soak up oil like a sponge so drain well on paper towels - alternatively, brush with oil and saute in a non-stick pan.) Make alternate layers of eggplant slices and meat sauce in a baking dish, put to one side. Melt butter or margarine in a pan and stir in flour to make a roux. Gradually add milk with constant stirring while cooking. This will result in a smooth white sauce. Stir in cheese and nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the sauce to cool, then whisk the beaten egg into the sauce. Pour sauce over the eggplant and meat mixture and bake uncovered in a preheated 350F oven for an hour or until golden brown. Yield: 4 servings