Name: Turkish Moussaka with Slow-Cooked Meat and Custard Sauce
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1 large eggplant; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 200g ground lamb; 1 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup tomato sauce; 1 cup milk; 50g butter; 50g flour; 100g grated keşar cheese; 1 teaspoon paprika; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 egg yolk; 1 tablespoon sugar

A rich and creamy dish with layers of eggplant, slow-cooked spiced meat, and a custard-based sauce.

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Slice the eggplant into 1cm thick rounds and fry in olive oil until golden. Drain on paper towels.
In a slow cooker, combine the onion, garlic, ground lamb, tomato sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour to make a roux. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened.
Stir in keşar cheese, egg yolk, and sugar. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a baking dish, layer the fried eggplant, slow-cooked meat sauce, and custard sauce.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Check that the ground meat reaches 71°C (160°F) throughout before serving.