Egyptian Moussaka

Moussaka has its origins in the middle east.  The original moussaka was an Arabic chilled entree.  Grecian mousaka is what most people are familiar with.  Bulgarian moussaka is also a very interesting recipe.  There are also Persian, Turkish and Indian moussaka recipes.
     Egyptian moussaka is part traditional and part French or Italian.  Italian colla, besciamela and French bechamel sauce are all the same thing.  Both the Italians and the French have occupied Egypt or emigrated to Egypt within the last few hundred years.  French and Italian cooking influences changed the old Egyptian recipes for moussaka.  The bechamel sauce topping became a standard for Egyptian moussaka recipes.
     The Egyptian version of moussaka has fava beans in the recipe.  The Egyptian version is usually made with minced lamb and sometimes it is only made with eggplant and local beans, like fava beans or chick peas.  The spices in Egyptian moussaka are similar to Greek or Turkish moussaka.  There is no goat cheese in the Egyptian cream sauce topping like there is in some Greek moussaka recipes.
     This Egyptian Moussaka recipe has fava beans, lamb and a little bit of harissa in the ingredients.  Harissa is a north african chile paste that is mildly spicy.  The flavor of Egyptian moussaka is very nice!
  
     Eggplant Preparation:
     Cut an unpeeled small eggplant into thick slices.  About 1 1/2 cups volume of thick sliced eggplant is plenty for this recipe.
     Place the eggplant slices across a large platter.
     Sprinkle sea salt on both sides of the eggplant slices.
     Let the eggplant sweat for twenty minutes.  (This step will remove the bitterness and it will help to preserve the color.)
     Rinse the eggplant slices with cold running water.  Pat the slices dry with a towel.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 1/3 cup of blended olive oil.
     Place the eggplant slices in the hot oil.
     Saute the eggplant slices lightly on both sides, till they start to become tender and lightly brown.
     Set the eggplant slices on a wire screen roasting rack to drain off any excess oil.
     Set the eggplant aside.
  
     Harissa Tomato Sauce:
     Heat a sauce pot over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 1 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
     Add 2 cloves of minced garlic.
     Saute till the garlic turns a golden color.
     Add 1/3 cup of thin julienne sliced onion.
     Saute till the onions turn clear in color.
     Add 1 1/2 cups of imported Italian canned crushed tomato.
     Add 1 pinch of cardamom.
     Add 1 pinch of cinnamon.
     Add 2 pinches of cumin.
     Add 2 pinches of coriander.
     Add 1 pinch of allspice.
     Add 2 pinches of marjoram.
     Add 2 pinches of fenugreek.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 2 tablespoons of mild harissa chile paste.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Simmer the tomato sauce for five minutes.
     Set the sauce aside.
  
     Lamb Preparation:
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of blended olive oil.
     Add 6 to 8 ounces of ground lamb.
     Chop the ground lamb, so there are no large clumps.
     Saute till the lamb is fully cooked and only lightly browned.
     Place the cooked ground lamb in a strainer to drain off the excess grease.
     Set the lamb aside.
  
     Bechamel Sauce Recipe:
     Heat a sauce pot over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 4 pats of unsalted butter.
     Add an equal amount of flour, while constantly stirring with a whisk.
     Cook the butter and flour roux, while constantly stirring, till it becomes a white color.
     Add 1/2 cup of cream while stirring.
     When the cream thickens, add 1 cup of milk while stirring.
     Stir till the bechamel sauce thickens to a very thin consistency.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Add sea salt and white pepper.
     Add 1 small pinch of nutmeg.
     Simmer and reduce the sauce, till it becomes a medium sauce constistency.
     Set the bechamel sauce aside.
  
     Egyptian Moussaka:
     Spoon a little bit of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish.
     Add the ground lamb.
     Add 1/2 cup of rinsed canned fava beans or rinsed cooked fava beans.
     Spoon some more of the tomato sauce over the lamb and fava beans.
     Place the eggplant slices over the tomato sauce, fava beans and lamb.
     Pour a generous amount of the bechamel sauce over the eggplant slices.
     Place the casserole dish on a baking pan.  (Do not cover the casserole dish!)
     Bake the moussaka in a 350º oven, till the bechamel sauce becomes lightly browned.
     Remove the moussaka from the oven and allow it to cool for 2 minutes before serving.
     Set the casserole dish on a serving platter.
     Garnish with an Italian parsley sprig.
  
     The flavor of this Egyptian moussaka is incredibly good!  The spices are not overwhelming.  This moussaka has a different flavor than Grecian moussaka.  The flavor is mild, subtle, exotic and very comfortable.
     If you like moussaka, then this Egyptian moussaka recipe is a great one to try.  Yummy and satisfying!  ...  Shawna