Bulgarian Moussaka

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Slice the eggplant into 1cm thick rounds and fry in olive oil until golden brown. Set aside.
3. In a pan, sauté onion and garlic until fragrant. Add ground beef and cook until browned.
4. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. In a separate pan, melt butter, add flour, and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened.
6. Stir in 50g grated kashkaval cheese. Remove from heat.
7. In a baking dish, layer the fried eggplant, meat mixture, and béchamel sauce.
8. Top with remaining kashkaval cheese.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly.
10. Check that the ground meat reaches 71°C (160°F) throughout before serving.