Turkish Eggplant And Ground Beef Casserole Recipes

TURKISH EGGPLANT AND GROUND BEEF CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Begin by peeling your eggplants. Using a vegetable peeler, begin at one end and remove a strip of peel from end to end. Leave a strip of peel about the same width, then peel another strip from end to end.
• Repeat this until your eggplant is peeled in a striped pattern. Peel all eggplant this way.
• Slice the eggplants about 1/4-inch thick. Put all the eggplant slices in a large bowl of salty water and let them soak for about 30 minutes. This removes the bitterness.
• Slice the green pepper into thin rings. Grate 1 tomato. Peel and chop the onion finely and fry it in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until tender.
• Add the green pepper slices and continue frying until soft. Add the ground beef and fry until browned. Add the grated tomato, tomato paste, and spices.
• Cover the pan and let the meat simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Grate the other 3 tomatoes and put them in a small saucepan.
• Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, oregano, and sugar and let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Remove the eggplant slices from the water and blot them dry with paper towels.
• Fry them on both sides in vegetable oil until tender and golden brown on both sides. Drain them well on paper towels.
• Line the bottom of a large baking tray with the fried eggplant slices to make a single layer. Make sure there are no gaps between the pieces.
• Spread the tomato sauce over the eggplant. Next, cover the tomato sauce layer with the meat mixture.
• In a large pan, melt the butter over high heat. Add the flour and turn it around a few times with a wooden spoon.
• Add the milk and seasonings and use a wire whisk to make the mixture smooth as it thickens. Your béchamel sauce is ready when it's the consistency of pudding.
• Pour the hot béchamel sauce over the meat layer, covering it completely. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top of the casserole.
• Bake the casserole in a 360 F / 180 C oven until the top turns golden brown.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting it into squares.
• Serve your musakka with Turkish-style rice pilaf.