Greek Moussaka

Ingredients:

Moussaka

• 450 g of minced young lamb
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1/4 cup olive oil (portions)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced ​​into half rings
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 serrano chili pepper, finely diced
• 5 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 can (800 g) of plum tomatoes, pureed with juice until smooth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• Honey if needed
• Eggplants
  700 g of eggplant, sliced ​​crosswise into 0.5 cm thick slices
• 1.5 tbsp. canola oil

Béchamel sauce

• 6 tbsp (90 g) butter
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 2.5 cups of milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup soft goat cheese
• 1 tbsp. grated Romano cheese
• Zest of 1 lemon

Preparation:

1. For lamb: Soak the currants in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain the water.
   
   In a 6-quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Add the lamb, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cayenne, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring to break up the ground meat, until browned, about 5 minutes.
   
   Transfer the lamb to a large sieve set over a bowl and let the juices drain. Discard any remaining liquid in the pan. Return the pan to the heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
   
   Add the serrano pepper and garlic and cook for one minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
2. Return the mince to the pan, pour in the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.
   
   Add the tomato puree and currants and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and oregano, and season with salt, pepper, and honey if needed. Remove from heat.
   
   For eggplants: Heat canola oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the eggplant slices with salt and pepper on both sides.
   
   Add the eggplant slices to the skillet in batches and fry until soft and lightly golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant slices to a paper towel.
3. For the béchamel sauce: In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is pale and smooth, 2 minutes.
   
   Stirring constantly, add the milk and bay leaf and cook until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, discarding the bay leaf. Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, goat cheese, and lemon zest and whisk into the béchamel sauce until smooth.
4. Preheat oven to 205°C. Grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter.
   
   For assembly: Place half the eggplant slices in the pan and cover with half the meat sauce. Place the remaining eggplant slices on top of the sauce, then the remaining meat sauce. Pour the béchamel sauce over the meat sauce and smooth it out with a silicone spatula.
   
   Sprinkle the top evenly with Romano cheese, place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake until the top is golden brown and the sauce begins to simmer, 45-50 minutes. Sprinkle with more chopped parsley, if desired. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.