From the posts below I have apparently posted this before. But I was asked for the recipe elsewhere and while I had it in my copy/post mode thought I would post it again. It is different from many in having no potatoes and having ricotta in the topping which makes it truly delicious.
MOUSSAKA
*3 medium eggplant
*3onions, chopped
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*2lbs. ground lamb
*3TBS tomato paste
1 28 oz. Can crushed tomatoes
*1/2C red wine
*1C bread crumbs
*1C Parmesan
*1/2C parsley
*salt and pepper to taste
*1/4Tsp cinnamon
Topping
*8TBS butter
*6TBS flour
*4 eggs beaten well
*1Qt. milk
*2C ricotta cheese
*1/4tsp nutmeg
Peel and slice eggplant in 1/2” slices. Place on oiled aluminum foil and bake at 350* for 15 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. Brown the lamb and drain fat. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are done but not brown. Add wine, tomato paste, cinnamon, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring frequently until all the liquid has been
absorbed.
Heat milk to simmering Prepare topping by melting butter, add flour and whisk, mixing well. Add hot milk stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Remove from heat, cool slightly and stir in beaten egg, nutmeg and ricotta.
Heat oven to 375*. Grease a 9X13 casserole dish or a foil lasagna pan. Sprinkle bottom with some of the bread crumbs. Arrange alternate layers of eggplant and meat mixture,sprinkling each layer with bread crumbs and gratted Parmesan. Top with the cheese custard. Bake 1 hour or until top is puffy and golden brown. Cool 20-30 minutes before
serving.
This can be frozen unbaked. The eggplant slices can be browned in butter or oil if desired.
The amount of milk/topping called for seems a lot but it is what is needed. The foil pan is deeper than most 9X13 pans and is better for this.
VEGETARIAN VARIATION
I prepared it the very same way but for the meat substituted reconstituted dried shitake mushrooms, chopped coarsely. Not 2#, but probably 2C chopped. Browned them and then continued as above.
MOUSSAKA
*3 medium eggplant
*3onions, chopped
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*2lbs. ground lamb
*3TBS tomato paste
1 28 oz. Can crushed tomatoes
*1/2C red wine
*1C bread crumbs
*1C Parmesan
*1/2C parsley
*salt and pepper to taste
*1/4Tsp cinnamon
Topping
*8TBS butter
*6TBS flour
*4 eggs beaten well
*1Qt. milk
*2C ricotta cheese
*1/4tsp nutmeg
Peel and slice eggplant in 1/2” slices. Place on oiled aluminum foil and bake at 350* for 15 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. Brown the lamb and drain fat. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are done but not brown. Add wine, tomato paste, cinnamon, parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring frequently until all the liquid has been
absorbed.
Heat milk to simmering Prepare topping by melting butter, add flour and whisk, mixing well. Add hot milk stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Remove from heat, cool slightly and stir in beaten egg, nutmeg and ricotta.
Heat oven to 375*. Grease a 9X13 casserole dish or a foil lasagna pan. Sprinkle bottom with some of the bread crumbs. Arrange alternate layers of eggplant and meat mixture,sprinkling each layer with bread crumbs and gratted Parmesan. Top with the cheese custard. Bake 1 hour or until top is puffy and golden brown. Cool 20-30 minutes before
serving.
This can be frozen unbaked. The eggplant slices can be browned in butter or oil if desired.
The amount of milk/topping called for seems a lot but it is what is needed. The foil pan is deeper than most 9X13 pans and is better for this.
VEGETARIAN VARIATION
I prepared it the very same way but for the meat substituted reconstituted dried shitake mushrooms, chopped coarsely. Not 2#, but probably 2C chopped. Browned them and then continued as above.