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From: moiram@tektronix.UUCP (Moira Mallison )
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: The Aubergine Blues
Message-ID: <1503@tektronix.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 2-Nov-83 23:08:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: tektroni.1503
Posted: Wed Nov  2 23:08:33 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Oct-83 22:36:59 EDT
References: <213@ut-sally.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 80

This recipe for Moussaka is divine...it takes a lot of effort: well-suited
for rainy Sunday afternoons (we have a lot of those here).  The newspaper
article I got it from says it best.  Prepare this for someone who will 
appreciate it.  Its wasted on one who would be just as happy with steak 
and potatoes.

                          MOUSSAKA

Olive oil
3 lbs eggplant
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

TOMATO SAUCE
2 large onions
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
2 cups minced mushrooms
3 tomatoes, peeled and pureed
3 T tomato paste
3/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp cinnamon
1 T finely chopped garlic
1 T oregano
1 tsp sugar

BECHAMEL SAUCE
4 cups milk
1 cube butter
6 T flour
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp white pepper

4 eggs, beaten
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 cups grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese

Peel eggplants.  Sslice 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices lengthwise. Sprinkle 
slices lightly with salt and place them side by side in colander
to drain.  Weight with plate with heavy object set on top of it.
Let drain 30 minutes.  Rinse well with cold water; squeeze gently and
pat dry.  

Spread flour on a plate and dredge eggplant slices in it.  Saute in 
olive oil.

TOMATO SAUCE: peel and mince onions.  Heat 2 T oil and 2 T butter in 
skillet over moderate heat.  Add onion and saute until soft and lightly
colored, ~8 min.  Add minced mushrooms and saute.  Stir in pureed
tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, parsley, seasonings and sugar.  Reduce 
heat to low.  Simmer uncovered until most of the liquid is evaporated,
and the mixture is thick (30-45 min) stirring occasionally.

Remove skillet from heat and let it cool completely.  Remove and discard
any excess oil that has risen to the top.

BECHAMEL SAUCE: Place milk in 1.5 quart saucepan and heat it just until
tiny bubbles appear along the edges.  Remove and set aside.

Melt 1 cube butter in 3 quart saucepan over very low hear until foamy,
being careful not to brown.  Add flour slowly, stirring constantly 
with wire whisk until smooth (3-4 min).  Do not let roux brown.  Add
milk slowly, whipping briskly with wire whisk. When the mixture is 
thickened and smooth, remove it from heat and stir in nutmeg and pepper.

Cool sauce slightly.  Stir ricotta until it is creamy and smooth and
gently fold it into sauce.  Stir in the eggs until they are thoroughly
incorporated into the mixture.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
Lightly grease 16 x 10 inch baking pan and sprinkle the bottom with a
few tablespoons of breadcrumbs.  Beginnning with eggplant, arrange
alternate layers of eggplant slices and tomato sauce in pan, sprinkling
each layer with breadcrumbs and cheese.  Pour bechamel-ricotta sauce over
the top and bake one hour or until a golden-brown crust has formed on 
top. 

Remove moussaka from oven and let stand undisturbed 20-30 minutes; the
delay allows the layers to fuse.