🍆 Moussaka

Ingredients

• Eggplant

• 2 Eggplant, about 1 pound each, sliced 1/3 inch thick
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• ½ tsp Table salt

• Meat sauce

• 1½ lb Ground lamb
• 1 Yellow onion, chopped
• 3 clove Garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1 can Crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp Table salt
• ¼ tsp Ground black pepper

• White sauce

• 4 tbsp Butter, salted
• ¼ cup All-purpose flour
• 2 cup Whole milk
• ⅛ tsp Ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp Table salt
• 1 Eggs, large, beaten
• ½ cup Grated Parmesan

Nutrition

Steps

You’ll need: 9-by-13-inch baking dish, 2 rimmed baking sheets, large skillet, saucepan, whisk, instant-read thermometer.

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Brush the eggplant slices with the oil, lay them on two baking sheets and sprinkle with salt. Roast 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until soft and browned. Lower the oven to 350°F.
2. Meanwhile, cook the lamb and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F, about 8 minutes. Spoon off the fat. Add the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper and simmer 15 minutes, until thick.
4. For the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer, whisking, until thick, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the nutmeg and salt, then the egg, quickly so it does not scramble, and half the Parmesan.
5. Layer half the eggplant in the baking dish, then all the meat sauce, then the rest of the eggplant. Spread the white sauce over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the Parmesan.
6. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until golden on top and 165°F in the center. Let it rest 20 minutes before cutting so the layers set.

🌡 Safe temperaturesGround lamb 160°F; Casseroles 165°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.