Moussaka

Serves 8-10
Preparation time 2 hours
Cooking time 35-40 minutes

• 5lbs round eggplant
• 1/3 cup olive oil Spitiko
• 1 large onion, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 ½ lbs ground lean meat (beef or veal)
• 3 cups Kyknos tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup salt and pepper
• 2 egg whites lightly beaten
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley
• 6 tablespoons fine bread crumbs
• 1 ½ grated kefalotiri
• 4 cups light Bechamel
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

Wash and trim the eggplant. Slice into ½-inch thick rounds. Sprinkle generously with salt and leave them to drain in a colander for 2 hours. Rinse, squeeze gently, and pat them dry with paper towels. Fry in hot oil until lightly browned on both sides. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until transparent. Add the meat and stir for 10 minutes until it begins to brown. Add th tomatoes and the ketchup, and season to taste. Simmer covered, until all the liquid evaporates. Allow to cool, and mix in the lightly-beaten egg whites and the chopped parsley. Sprinkle the bottom of a12x14- inch, buttered ovenproof dish with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, arrange half the eggplant slices in a layer on top, and spread half the meat sauce over the eggplant. Sprinkle with half the grated cheese and 2 more tablespoons of bread crumbs. Cover with the remaining meat sauce, and sprinkle the top with the rest of grated cheese and the remaining bread crumbs. (At this stage you may freeze the dish, covered tightly. When ready to bake let it thaw out first.) Prepare 4 cups light béchamel sauce, stir in the cream and egg yolks. Preheat the oven to 400 F, Pour the sauce over the moussaka and bake for about 45 minutes until nicely browned. Let the dish stand for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with Greek Village Salad. Alternate: Replace half or all the eggplant with sliced potatoes, or substitute zucchini for the eggplant. A combination of eggplant, zucchini, and potatoes can also be used.

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