This is another recipe that I got from the Trillium Haven Yahoo! group.  I’d bookmarked it awhile back and was waiting for another eggplant pickup to try it out.  I took a few pictures of this wonderful dish, but not a single one turned out.  My camera lens has something wrong with it right now, and every single one was fuzzy   I wanted to share anyway, and I’m hoping to try it again and then maybe post the picture.  I know how much we all love pictures!

While this recipe seems very “involved” it really didn’t take that much time to prepare.  I was able to get the white sauce and the beef browned in the time it took for the veggies to roast.

Hearty Moussaka with Low-fat White Sauce

from Gourmet –1998

Loaded with vegetables and topped with Parmesan cheese, this will satisfy the
biggest hunger on the coldest winter night.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

Nonstick olive oil spray
2 12-ounce eggplants, peeled, each cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise
into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 1/2 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 pound red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 pound lean ground beef sirloin or ground round
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup plain dry white breadcrumbs
2 large egg whites, beaten to blend
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Low-fat White Sauce

6 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups low-fat (1%) milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 teaspoon butter

Preparation for white sauce:

Whisk flour in heavy medium saucepan to remove any lumps. Gradually add 1 cup
milk, whisking until smooth. Add remaining 2 cups milk and nutmeg; whisk over
medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 10 minutes. Remove from
heat. Whisk in Parmesan, egg and butter. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be
made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat until heated
through before using; do not boil.)

Preparation for Moussaka:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with olive oil spray. Arrange
eggplant slices and half of zucchini rounds, overlapping slightly, on 1 baking
sheet. Arrange potato rounds and remaining zucchini, overlapping slightly, on
second baking sheet. Spray vegetables generously with olive oil spray. Sprinkle
with salt and pepper. Bake until tender and beginning to brown, about 40
minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and
garlic; sauté until onion is tender, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water if mixture
seems dry, about 7 minutes. Stir in oregano. Add beef; sauté until brown,
breaking up with back of spoon. Add tomatoes with their juices and tomato paste,
breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly,
about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Mix in
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, egg whites and cinnamon.

Spray 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with olive oil spray. Sprinkle 1/4 cup
breadcrumbs over bottom of dish. Arrange potatoes in prepared dish. Spoon half
of beef mixture over. Arrange eggplant slices over. Spoon remaining beef mixture
over. Top with all of zucchini, overlapping slightly if necessary.

Pour warm Low-Fat White Sauce over moussaka. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over.
Bake until top is golden brown, about 55 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Cut into
squares and serve.

*******************************************************************************************

This was an absolute hit in our house.  I’ve been trying to win myself over with the eggplant, and I think I did with this dish.   I had the leftovers for lunch today and again, they were DELICIOUS.  This is definitely comfort food, and a dish that I will prepare on a cold Winter night for sure!! Enjoy!