Authentic Greek Moussaka

BLUE ROSE's Note:

This recipe came from a neighbor of mine. When they heard of the world challange I was doing they offered me this recipe. A greek family ofcource. This is a favorite of theirs! Time Does not include Prep work.

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

Meat Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 ½ lbs ground chuck or 1 ½ lbs lamb
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 2 medium eggplants
• 1 dash salt
• ½ cup butter or ½ cup margarine , melted

Cream Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 2 cups milk
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. Meat Sauce:.
2. Melt butter in a 3 1/2 Quart Dutch oven, sauté onion, ground chuck or lamb and garlic, stirring until brown, 10 minutes.
3. Add herbs, spices and tomato sauce and stirring until it starts to boiling.
4. Reduce heat and simmer, uncover, 1/2 hour.
5. Halve unpaired eggplants lengthwise. Slice 1/2-inch thick.
6. Place in bottom of broiler and sprinkle lightly with salt.
7. Brush lightly with melted butter.
8. Broil 4-inches from heat, 4 minutes per side, or until golden.
9. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
10. Make Cream Sauce.
11. In medium saucepan, melt butter.
12. Remove from heat and stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk gradually.
13. Bring to boiling, stirring until thickened.
14. Remove from heat.
15. In small bowl beat eggs with wire whisk.
16. Beat in some hot Cream Sauce mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and mix well. Set aside.
17. To assemble casserole, in bottom of shallow, 2 quart baking dish (12x7x2 inches).
18. Layer half of eggplants, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp of each of grated parmesan and cheddar cheese. Stir bread crumbs into meat sauce. Spoon evenly over eggplant in casserole, then sprinkle with 2 Tbsp of each of parmesan and cheddar cheese.
19. Layer rest of eggplant spices, overlapping, as before. Pour Cream Sauce over all. Sprinkle top of remaining cheese.
20. Back 35 to 40 Minutes or until golden brown and top is set.
21. If desired, brown top of little more under broiler, 1 minute.
22. Cool slightly to serve. Cut in Squares.

Reviews

[Upinsmoke]

This was delicious! I made it for Greek Night at my book/dinner club, and it was a huge success. It was definitely worth the effort! Thanks!

[*Parsley*]

My first time making a moussaka and now I'm wondering what took me so long! This is absolutely wonderful! I used 1 lb of lamb and 1/2 lb ground beef. Despite the long directions, this is very easy to make. Don't skimp on the cinnamon; it really gives a great flavor! The only thing I changed was to omit the 1/2 cup of butter to brush the eggplant slices; I just used olive-oil cooking spray. Thanx for this great recipe. I'll make this again!

[3shihmum]

OOOOhhhh this was good. Very rich but very good. I might use a light brush of olive oil on the eggplant as Parsley suggested (gotta keep my tester alive) but other than that, if it's not broken... Thanks for posting this Blue Rose. I'll be making this for company any day