Balkan-Style Moussaka

"From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Recipe of the week. I love moussaka! Something nostalgic about this dish for me - a childhood friend down the street was Greek & her Mom made an outstanding moussaka - always with lamb & something special in addition to the cinnamon - allspice & cloves...this one has 'em! Serve with tossed green salad & a chunk of warm bread for sopping up sauce - Mmmmmmm! *Kefalotiri is a salty sheep's- and goat's-milk cheese and is available at selected Greek markets & now many supermarkets."
 
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Ready In:
3hrs
Ingredients:
20
Serves:
6-8
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ingredients

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directions

  • Salt the eggplant slices generously and place them in a bowl or colander for 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, cook the lamb (or beef) in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up the meat 5 to 10 minutes until browned and the fat has rendered. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour off the fat. Set the meat aside in a bowl. Add a couple Tbsps. water to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits. Add the scrapings to the meat.
  • Heat 2 Tbsps. olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, the browned meat, 1/2 teaspoons paprika, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, sugar, bay leaf, salt and 1/2 to 1 cup hot water (enough to cover the meat). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick and fragrant. Cook, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid is almost gone.
  • Remove the bay leaf, stir in pepper and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust for salt (remember, the eggplant will be salty).
  • Cool the mixture slightly, then stir in one beaten egg and the parsley. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
  • Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels. Place them on baking sheets brushed with olive oil and brush the tops with the remaining 2 Tbsps. olive oil. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and reduce the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Brush a 3-quart baking or gratin dish with the remaining oil. Make an even layer of half the eggplant over the bottom, and spread on all the meat sauce in one layer. Top with a layer of the remaining eggplant.
  • Bake the moussaka 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Beat the remaining 6 eggs and mix them with the yogurt. Season with 3/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste), pepper and a pinch paprika. Pour over the moussaka.
  • Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the topping and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes, then place under the broiler 1 minute or until light golden brown on top. Watch carefully because it browns quickly. Serve warm.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>First about Buster: Buster moved onto whatever comes next on February 26, 2008. He was just shy of five years old. I miss him terribly. <br />He came into our lives when he ran out in front of my car late one night as I was driving home. A just under 4 pound ball of kitten fluff, complete with an ostrich boa tail that stayed straight up as he assessed his new domain. He became a 19 pound longhaired beast who guarded our house (he followed any new guests or servicepeople the entire time they are on the property) &amp; even killed copperheads (among other things with his hunting buddy, Fergus the short-tailed)! Friends never saw his formidible side as he smiled at them &amp; uttered the most incongruent kitten-like mews as he threaded legs! He liked to ride in the car &amp; came to the beach. <br />There are Buster-approved recipes in my offerings - however, HE decided which he wanted to consider - Buster demonstrated he liked pumpkin anything - ALOT -LOL!!! <br /> <br />Copperhead count 2006 - Buster 2 <br /> (10 inchers w/yellow tails) <br /> 2007 - Buster &amp; Roxie 1 <br /> (a 24 incher!) <br />Buster woken from beauty sleep - <br />http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0335.JPG <br />Big whiskers - <br />http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0333.JPG <br /> <br />For those of you who gave kind condolences - thank you so very much. <br />http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=250301 <br /> <br /> <br />I love to cook &amp; incorporate techniques from Southern/Mid Atlantic roots (grits, eastern NC BBQ shoulders, Brunswick stew, steamed crabs &amp; shrimp &amp; shellfish, hushpuppies, cornbread, greens, shad roe, scrapple) with Pacific Rim foods &amp; techniques aquired while living in Pacific Northwest, fish &amp; game recipes learned while living in Rocky Mountain region &amp; foods/techniques learned travelling to the Big Island &amp; up into BC &amp; Alberta &amp; into the Caribbean. The Middle Eastern/African likes I have are remnants of my parents who lived for many years in North Africa &amp; Mediterranean before I was thought of. Makes for wide open cooking! <br /> <br />Since moving back east we try to go annually in the deep winter to Montreal (Old Montreal auberges &amp; La Reine) &amp; Quebec City (Winter Carnival &amp; Chateau Frontenac)- for unctuous foie gras &amp; real cheeses, French &amp; Canadian meals prepared &amp; served exquisitely, fantastic music &amp; wonderful people - with the cold helping burn off some of the calories! <br /> <br />I love putting in our aluminum jonboat &amp; heading across the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to the barrier islands for foraging &amp; exploring! Bodysurfing is a lifelong sport for me - one that a person's body never seems to forget how to do, once the knack is learned (thank goodness!) <br /> <br />I especially miss cool summers &amp; foggy/drizzly days &amp; fall mushroom foraging/anytime of year hot springing in WA, OR, MT, ID, BC &amp; Alberta.</p>
 
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