Egyptian Moussaka

Ingredients

• 2 Eggplants, large (zebra peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices)
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 Garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 lb American Ground Lamb
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tbsp 7 spice or Allspice powder
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1/4 cup Tomato Paste
• 1 cup Water or Vegetable Stock
• 2 Large riund tomatoes, sliced
• Salt
• 1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup Toased Pine nuts or slivered almonds

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add the eggplant slices to a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I also like to spray both sides of the eggplant with nonstick spray for extra moisture. Bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes flipping it halfway through.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, make the filling and sauce for the moussaka.

3. 3

   To make the filling, add the olive oil to a pan along with the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper then sautee until lightly caralzied. To this, add the ground American lamb and break into smaller pieces. Season with all the above spices and tomato paste and sautee until cooked through. Set aside.

4. 4

   To make the tomato sauce, whisk together the tomato paste and stock or water until there are no clumps.

5. 5

   --- Assembling the Moussaka ---

6. 6

   First, add a small layer of tomato sauce to the bottom of the baking dish you are using for the moussaka. Then, add a layer of the roasted eggplant. Follow with the lamb filling and top with another layer of roasted eggplant. Laatly, top with tomato slices. Season with salt. Cover with aluminum and bake at 350 F fo 30 minutes.

7. 7

   Once done, garnish with parsley and toasted nuts. Enjoy with rice or pita !