EGGPLANT MUSAKA

Eggplant Musaka image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h45m

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

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3 to 4 eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 60 pieces)
3 tablespoons kosher salt
5 cups plus 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, plus more for brushing
2 cups all-purpose flour
10 large eggs
2 yellow onions, diced
2 pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup whole milk
Marinara sauce, optional, for serving
Greek yogurt, optional, for serving

Steps:

Mix the eggplant and 2 tablespoons of the salt in a large bowl. Arrange the eggplant in a perforated pan and put in the refrigerator to drain the moisture, about 20 minutes.
Put 5 cups of the oil in a heavy-bottom pot and heat to 350 degrees F. Add the flour to a large bowl and dredge the eggplant in the flour; in a separate bowl, whisk 5 eggs until combined. Dip a few pieces of the floured eggplant in the eggs, shake off any excess and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet set with a cooling rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
Heat a large skillet with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and saute until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ground beef, black pepper and remaining 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the ground beef is brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 10 3/8-by-12 3/4-by-6-inch pan with oil.
Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of fried eggplant and top with some of the ground beef mixture. Repeat the layering process 4 more times with the eggplant then the ground beef, and top with a final layer of eggplant. Bake for 15 minutes.
Whisk the milk and remaining 5 eggs in a bowl, pour over the hot musaka and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes more. Cut into 12 pieces and serve on top of marinara sauce or Greek yogurt.