Yai-yai's Moussaka

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 eggplants
• 3 potatoes
• olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 -1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon
• parmesan cheese (enough to sprinkle)
• feta cheese (enough to sprinkle)
• 1 -2 lb lean ground beef (preference)
• 6 -8 ounces tomato paste
• parsley (preference)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons butter
• 2 1/2 teaspoons flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 dashes nutmeg
• 3 dashes pepper
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk

Recipe

• 1 layers:.
• 2 preheat oven to ‘’broil’’.
• 3 wash eggplants and potatoes (peel). cut lengthwise down the middle, then into ½ inch slices.
• 4 sprinkle salt on both sides of the eggplant and potato slices.
• 5 coat 2 baking trays with olive oil (one for each vegetable because potatoes will cook faster than the eggplant).
• 6 use paper towels to pat the salt absorbed moisture from the eggplant and potato slices (i suggest leaving a little moisture on the potatoes because they tend to dry out).
• 7 coat eggplant and potato slices with olive oil and place in oven until browned (light to medium). flip and repeat.
• 8 coat a non-stick 9 x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
• 9 cover the bottom with your eggplant slices (potatoes will be used later).
• 10 set oven to 350°f.
• 11 beef:.
• 12 in a saucepan, add olive oil, beef, and preferred amount of onion.
• 13 cook until beef is brown and the onion is tender.
• 14 drain excess fluid.
• 15 add garlic, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• 16 very important: taste after mixing and adjust ingredients accordingly (some people might like a little more of a kick).
• 17 heavy construction:.
• 18 pour enough beef mixture to cover eggplant.
• 19 layer with the potato slices.
• 20 cover with beef.
• 21 layer with eggplant slices.
• 22 make all the layers you can! have fun with it, but remember to leave enough room for the cream sauce! set aside.
• 23 cream sauce:.
• 24 melt butter in saucepan.
• 25 stir in flour, salt, nutmeg, and pepper.
• 26 remove from heat and slowly stir in milk.
• 27 return to heat until slightly thickened.
• 28 in a small bowl beat the eggs and additional yolk.
• 29 temper the eggs by adding a bit of the hot mixture (if you don’t do this the eggs will instantly cook when they are added to the mixture).
• 30 over low heat: slowly add eggs to mixture. mix well.
• 31 *** pour sauce over layers and sprinkle the cheeses.
• 32 *** bake at 350°f for 45 minutes to an hour (whenever the sauce is brown).
• 33 *** let the moussaka cool (until room temperature) before refrigeration.