INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

TOMATO SAUCE
BECHAMEL SAUCE
THE CASSEROLE
First make the tomato sauce:  peel and mince onions. Saute onions in about
2 T oil and about 2 T butter, over moderate heat, until they are soft and
lightly colored (about 8 minutes). Add mushrooms and saute. Stir in
tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, parsley, seasonings and sugar.
Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, for 30-45 minutes, stirring
occasionally.  Most of the liquid should be evaporated, and the mixture
quite thick. Remove skillet from heat and let it cool completely.
Start seasoning the eggplants:  peel eggplants and slice vertically, about
1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle lightly with salt and let sit for 30
minutes.
Now make the Bechamel Sauce:  Place the milk in a saucepan and heat it just
until tiny bubbles appear along the edges. Remove and set aside.
Melt one cube butter in a 3-quart saucepan over very low heat until foamy,
being careful not to brown. Slowly add the 6 T flour, stirring constantly
until smooth (3-4 minutes), and still being careful not to let it brown.
Add the milk slowly, whipping with a wire whisk. When the mixture is thick
and smooth, remove it from the heat and stir in seasonings. Cool sauce
slightly.
Back to the eggplant:  Rinse well with cold water; squeeze gently and pat
dry.  Dredge the eggplant in about 1 1/2 cups flour and saute in olive oil.
Put it all together:  Stir ricotta cheese until it is smooth and creamy.
Gently fold it into the Bechamel sauce. Stir in beaten eggs until
thoroughly incorporated.
Remove and discard any excess oil that has risen to the top of the tomato
mixture.
Lightly grease a 16x10 baking pan and sprinkle the bottom with a few bread
crumbs.  Place a layer of eggplant in the pan, following with a layer of
tomato mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and grated cheese. Repeat as
many times as you have eggplant to last.
Pour the Bechamel-ricotta sauce over the top and bake at 300 degrees F. for
one hour, or until a golden-brown crust has formed on top. Remove moussaka
from oven and let it stand undisturbed 20-30 minutes; the delay allows the
layers to fuse.
  NOTES:
*  Vegetarian version of the Greek classic -- This recipe is not for the
faint-hearted.  It's very good and it takes a lot of work. Don't waste it
on someone who would be just as satisfied with steak and salad!
: Difficulty:  moderate.
: Time:  1 1/2 hours to prepare, 1 hour to bake, 20-30 minutes to set and
cool.  Some can be done ahead of time.
: Precision:  Approximate measurement OK for eggplant, tomato mixture.
  :
: Moira Mallison (tektronix!moiram)
: Organization:  Tektronix, Inc.  Beaverton, Or
: Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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