Name: Aegean Casserole
Ingredients: **White Sauce**; 4 c Milk; 1/4 c Butter or margarine; 2/3 c All-purpose flour; 1/2 Bay leaf; 1 ts Salt; 1/3 c Freshly grated Parmesan cheese; REST: :; 6 c Eggplant; finely diced; 2 ts Salt; divided; 1 tb Olive oil; (plus one 1 tsp more); 1 c Onions; finely chopped; 2 ts Minced garlic; 1/2 ts Cinnamon; 1 pn Ground red pepper; 1 lb Lean ground beef; 1/2 ts Dried mint flakes; 1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper; 1/4 c Tomato paste; 1 cn (28-oz) tomatoes; 1/3 c Fresh flat-leaf parsley; chopped; 1 pk (16-oz) ziti pasta; cook according to pk

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Meats, Dairy, Eggs	Greek	Beef, Lhj, Casseroles	8	Servings

INGREDIENTS

		White Sauce
4	c	Milk
1/4	c	Butter or margarine
2/3	c	All-purpose flour
1/2		Bay leaf
1	ts	Salt
1/3	c	Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
		REST: :
6	c	Eggplant; finely diced
2	ts	Salt; divided
1	tb	Olive oil; (plus one 1 tsp more)
1	c	Onions; finely chopped
2	ts	Minced garlic
1/2	ts	Cinnamon
1	pn	Ground red pepper
1	lb	Lean ground beef
1/2	ts	Dried mint flakes
1/2	ts	Freshly ground pepper
1/4	c	Tomato paste
1	cn	(28-oz) tomatoes
1/3	c	Fresh flat-leaf parsley; chopped
1	pk	(16-oz) ziti pasta; cook according to pk

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make White Sauce: Bring milk to boil in medium saucepan over high heat.
Melt butter in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat Add flour and cook,
whisking, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, bay leaf and salt; bring to
boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, 10 minutes. Remove from
heat. Discard bay leaf and stir in Parmesan.
2. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt; drain in colander 30 minutes. Pat
dry. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add
eggplant and cook, stirring, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Add
onions and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cinnamon and red
pepper; cook 15 seconds. Add meat, mint, remaining 1 teaspoon and teaspoon
salt and the pepper; cook, stirring, until meat is no longer pink. Add
tomato paste and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with spoon. Add eggplant
and bring to simmer; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in
parsley.
4. Transfer cooked ziti to large bowl and stir in 1 cup White Sauce. Spread
half the ziti in bottom of deep 5-quart casserole. Spoon on filling, then
remaining ziti and White Sauce. Bake uncovered 25 to 35 minutes, until
bubbly and browned.
Per serving: 339 Calories; 22g Fat (58% calories from fat); 16g Protein;
20g Carbohydrate; 74mg Cholesterol; 1039mg Sodium
NOTES : We combined the flavors of our favorite Greek specialties-moussaka
and pastitsio--to create a new classic.
Recipe by: LHJ
Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by Lisa Minor <lisa@cybermill.com> on Feb 4,
1998

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