Moussaka

Preparación

1. asar25 min
   eggplant tender and lightly browned
   Salt the eggplant lightly, brush with oil and roast until tender and browned at the edges. Cook it fully now; underdone eggplant stays spongy and releases water into the casserole.
2. cocer a fuego lento25 min
   meat sauce thick with little free liquid
   Brown the meat with onion, add garlic, tomatoes, paste, cinnamon and salt, then simmer until concentrated. A loose sauce makes the finished layers slide instead of slice.
3. mezclar12 min
   béchamel thick enough to coat heavily
   Cook butter and flour briefly, whisk in milk and cook until thick. Off heat, temper in egg yolks and half the cheese. The sauce must be substantially thicker than a pourable cream sauce so it stays as a distinct cap.
4. hornear40 min
   top deeply golden and center set
   Layer eggplant and meat sauce, spread béchamel over the top and finish with remaining cheese. Bake until browned and set through.
5. dejar reposar25 min
   layers firm enough to slice
   Rest before cutting. The casserole is structurally fragile while bubbling hot; cooling lets the meat sauce and béchamel set around the eggplant layers.