Come On Up To The House

Moussaka

2 medium to large potatoes, peeled
1 medium to large onion
1 large eggplant
2 small to medium zuchinni
dried or fresh thyme
1 medium onion
1 large clove garlic
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch ground clove
1 Tbl tomato paste
1# ground beef
14.5oz jar dived tomatoes
100g (7 Tbl) butter
100g flour
750ml whole milk
pinch nutmeg
100g grated parmesan
3 egg yolks
grated parmesan

Thinly slice potatoes and onion.
In prep bowl: toss potatoes and onion with olive oil, salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp thyme. Place in a single layer in a 10×12 metal baking pan that has been rubbed with oil. Cook at 400F on convect for 20 minutes, remove when done.

Thinly slice eggplant. In prep bowl: toss eggplant with olive oil, salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp thyme. Remove baking pan from oven. Add the single layer eggplant on top of potatoes and onions. Drizzle with olive oil if it looks dry. Put back into the oven and cook another 20 minutes. Remove when done.

(can be done while other veggies are cooking)
Thinly slice zucchini. In prep bowl: toss zucchini with olive oil, salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp thyme. Add a single layer zucchini on top of eggplant. Cook another 20 minutes, remove when done.

(can be done while veggies are cooking)
Dice onion and caramelize over high heat in skillet with olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add pressed garlic clove to the onions and cook another minute. Add a 1/2 tsp cinnamon and pinch of ground clove to mixture and cook for another minute. Add tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add ground beef to mixture, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until no longer pink and season with salt and pepper. Add can of diced tomatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes, until most of the liquid is gone (mixture should be kind of dry). Set mixture aside.

Make the Bechamel – Add butter to a skillet and melt. As it melts, add flour and whisk until incorporated. Add milk in small batches until it is absorbed and there are no lumps. When it just starts to bubble remove from heat and season with black pepper and pinch of nutmeg. Stir in 100g grated Parmesan. Stir in 3 egg yolks.

Pour 1/4 to 1/3 of the bechamel sauce into the meat mixture until it holds together.
Spread meat mixture in a single layer over the zucchini in the baking pan. Spread bechamel evenly over meat sauce. Sprinkle with some grated Parmesan. Cook in the oven at 400F on convect for 25-30 minutes until toasted and bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool for 1 hour to set. Must give it that much time, and it will be hot, so don’t worry.

Cut into pieces and serve. Leftovers can be frozen.

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