Shortcut Moussaka

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 large eggplant, peeled, sliced into thin rounds (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Recipe

• 1 heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• 2 add ground beef and chopped onion and cook until beef is brown, breaking up beef with fork, about 15 minutes.
• 3 mix in tomato sauce, red wine, parsley, crumbled oregano and ground cinnamon. simmer until mixture thickens and is almost dry, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. (can be prepared 1 day ahead. cover tightly and refrigerate.).
• 4 preheat oven to 350°f
• 5 melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. add flour and stir 1 minute.
• 6 gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. boil until thick, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.
• 7 beat eggs in small bowl to blend. whisk small amount of milk mixture into eggs. return mixture to saucepan.
• 8 bring to boil, whisking constantly. remove custard from heat.
• 9 stir in 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. season custard to taste with salt and pepper.
• 10 butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. arrange half of eggplant in bottom of dish. season with salt and pepper.
• 11 spread meat mixture over. top with remaining eggplant.
• 12 pour hot custard cheese sauce over eggplant. sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup parmesan.
• 13 cover loosely with foil and bake 1 hour. uncover and continue baking until golden and bubbling on edges, about 10 minutes longer. cool 10 minutes.