CONTEST MAIN DISH: Moussaka

MOUSSAKA
Adaped by BumbleBeeBoogie

2 large eggplants
1 cup all-purpose white flour
1 cup olive oil
1 pound bulk sausage meat
2 cups chopped onion
2 pounds lean ground lamb
1 teaspoon salt for eggplant treatment
1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup minced fresh flat Italian parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup red wine
12 to 14 fresh spinach leaves
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 tablespoons butter for the cream sauce
1/2 cup all-purpose white flour for the cream sauce
2 cups light cream
1/2 teaspoon salt for cream sauce
freshly ground nutmeg, to taste
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Preheat the over to 400 degrees F.

Peel and slice the eggplants crosswise. Salt well and set in a single layer on paper towels. Set aside to drain its water for 30 minutes. Pat dry.

Place the 1 cup of flour in a paper bag and shake a few eggplant slices at a time in it to coat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and lightly saute the eggplant slices; remove and drain on paper towels and set aside.

Brown the ground sausage meat in the skillet, drain off the fat reserving 2 tablespoons, and set aside. Saute the onions in 1 tablespoon of the reserved fat; add to the sausage meat; set aside.

Brown the ground lamb in the skillet, seasoning with the 1 teaspoon of salt and the oregano. Add to the reserved sausage meat.

In 1 tablespoon of the reserved fat, saute the garlic in the skillet until just starting to turn golden (do not allow to burn and become bitter.) Add the tomato puree, parsley. Mix well, then add the wine and the reserved meat mixture. Simmer, uncovered, until almost all liquid is absorbed.

Butter a 5 quart casserole dish. Layer the eggplant on the bottom of the dish. Cover with the meat mixture. Add the spinach leaves and top with the mushrooms.

Melt butter in a saucepan until foamy, sprinkle with the 1/2 cup of flour, cook and stir for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in the cream and cook and stir until smooth and thickened. Season with a pinch of salt, the ground pepper and the ground nutmeg and pour over the casserole. Top with the ricotta cheese.

Bake for 1 hours. Serves 8.