Moussaka 

1) Make filling: Melt 2 Tb. butter in a frying pan and sauté 1/2 c. pignoli nuts and 1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped. When onions are soft and light brown, add 8 oz. canned tomato sauce, 1/3 c. red wine and 2 Tb. tomato paste. Simmer together a few minutes. Add 8 oz. (use the tomato sauce can) water, 1/4 c. chopped straight leaf parsley, and 1 t. salt. Simmer another 5 minutes. Add another 1/4 c. red wine and 3/4 t. cinnamon. Let cool. Beat 2 small eggs in a bowl and slowly stir cinnamon-tomato sauce into the eggs.

2) Prepare cheeses by grating 1/4 1b. kefalotiri and 1/2 1b. kasseri. Both are available at Greek markets and are necessary to the flavor of this meatless moussaka.

3) Peel and slice lengthwise, 1/2 inch thick, 2 large eggplants. Fry the slices in a very hot frying pan or on a very hot griddle in as little olive oil as possible to keep eggplant from sticking. Using a large, deep ovenproof casserole dish, line the bottom with half the fried eggplant slices and sprinkle with about one fourth of both cheeses. Spoon the tomato-cinnamon-pignoli sauce over and top with remaining eggplant slices. Add most of the remaining cheese.

4) Make Béchamel Sauce: In a pot melt 1/2 stick butter. Add 1/4 c. flour and cook together, stirring, a few minutes. Add 2 1/2 c. milk and whisk together until sauce comes to a boil. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Beat 3 egg yolks in a medium sized bowl and add hot sauce gradually to yolks, stirring well so that they do not curdle. Spread sauce over eggplant casserole. Top with the last of the grated cheeses and bake at 350° until browned and bubbling, about 1 hour.

Serves 6-8