Aegean Casserole From Lhj

Title:
Aegean Casserole From Lhj

Yield:
8 Servings

Categories:
Pasta




Ingredients:




--------------------------------WHITE
SAUCE--------------------------------


     4 c  Milk


   1/4 c  Butter or margarine


   2/3 c  All-purpose flour


   1/2    Bay leaf


     1 ts Salt


   1/3 c  Grated Parmesan cheese





---------------------------------CASSEROLE---------------------------------


     6 c  Eggplant; finely diced


     2 ts Salt; divided


     1 tb Olive oil; plus 1 teaspoon


     1 c  Finely chopped onion


     2 ts Minced garlic


   1/2 ts Cinnamon


     1 pn Ground red pepper


     1 lb Lean ground beef


   1/2 ts Dried mint flakes


   1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper


   1/4 c  Tomato paste


    28 oz Tomatoes; canned


   1/3 c  Chopped fresh flat-leaf


          -parsley


    16 oz Ziti pasta; cooked as


          -directed





 1. Make White Sauce: Bring milk to boil in medium saucepan over high heat.


 Melt butter in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook,


 whisking, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, bay leaf and salt; bring to


 boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, 10 minutes. Remove from


 heat. Discard bay leaf and stir in Parmesan.


 


 2. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt; drain in colander 30 minutes. Pat


 dry. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add


 eggplant and cook, stirring, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.


 


 3. Heat oven to 375?F. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Add onions


 and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cinnamon and red pepper;


 cook 15 seconds. Add meat, mint, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper;


 cook, stirring, until meat is no longer pink. Add tomato paste and


 tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with spoon. Add eggplant and bring to


 simmer; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.


 


 4. Transfer cooked ziti to large bowl and stir in 1 cup White Sauce. Spread


 half the ziti in bottom of deep 5-quart casserole. Spoon on filling, then


 remaining ziti and White Sauce. Bake uncovered 25 to 35 minutes, until


 bubbly and browned.


 


 Prep Time: 1 hour Baking Time: 25 to 35 minutes Degree of Difficulty:


 Moderate (C) Copyright 1997, Meredith Corporation, All Rights Reserved.


 


 NOTES : We combined the flavors of our favorite Greek specialties--moussaka


 and pastitsio--to create a new classic.


 


 Recipe by: Ladies Home Journal


 


 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #942 by "abprice@wf.net" 
on


 Dec 2, 1997