Eggplant Moussaka Recipe

By Amanda Campbell

I went to a Greek restaurant and had this, it was so good. I came home and told Shelly about it because it does not have bread in it. A few days later Shelly told me that she made it and wanted me to taste test it to see if it tastes the same and the fancy restaurant. It did, and it is good and easy to make. This is a crazy good one dish dinner. Try it!!

Ingredients:
3 med sized eggplants
Meat Sauce:
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T. oil
1 lb. ground beef or lamb
2 1/2 cup chopped, peeled tomatoes
1/2 cup Chicken stock
2 T. chopped parsley
1 t sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
salt and pepper

Cream Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten


Directions:
1. Cut eggplant into 1/4 inch slices with skin on. Sprinkle slices with salt and leave for 1 hour. Dry with paper towels.
2. Oil the base of a baking dish, add a layer of eggplant and brush with oil. Lightly brown under a hot grill, turn, brush again with oil and brown other side. Alternatively, eggplant may be shallow-fried in oil. Stack on a plate when cooked.
3. Gently fry onion and garlic in oil for 10 minutes. Add meat and brown over high heat, stirring well. Add remaining meat sauce ingredients, seasoning to taste. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
4. Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook gently for 2 minutes. Add milk all at once and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Let sauce bubble gently for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat, stir in nutmeg or cinnamon, 1 T of the Cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover top of sauce with buttered paper if not required immediately.
6. Grease an oven dish, 13x9x2 inch pan and place a layer of eggplant slices in the base. Top with half of the meat sauce, add another layer of eggplant, remainder of meat and finish with eggplant.
7. Stir beaten egg into sauce and spread on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.