Meat Sauce
2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
1 Medium yellow onion, chopped
3 Garlic, chopped
0.75 lb Ground American lamb
0.75 lb Ground beef (80/20)
2 tbsp Tomato paste
1 cup Red wine
14 Chopped tomatoes (1 can)
2 Bay leaves
1 Stick cinnamon
BÉCHAMEL
8 tbsp Unsalted butter
0.25 cup All-purpose flour
2 cups Whole milk
0.25 tsp Ground cinnamon
0.25 tsp Ground nutmeg
0.50 cup Parmesan cheese
0.50 tsp Kosher salt
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
Eggplant
2 Medium eggplants, thinly sliced into 1/4in slices
Kosher salt, to taste
6 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Assembly
2 Medium russet potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 cup Gruyère, shredded
1 tsp Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Meat Sauce
1Heat a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional minute. Add the lamb and ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Stir in the tomato paste then add the wine and cook until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon stick and bay leaves and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Remove from heat and cover.
BÉCHAMEL
2Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the flour and stir to combine, let cook about 1 minute, to cook the flour taste off.
3Add the milk and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until the sauce has slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg, stirring to combine. Next, stir in the Parmesan and salt until completely combined, then remove the pot from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
4Add the mixture to a blender with the eggs and puree until completely combined. Add back to the pot and set aside.
Eggplant
6Lay the eggplant out on sheets of paper towels and sprinkle with salt to drain for 30 minutes.
7Toss the eggplant in the oil and arrange in a single layer on an parchment paper lined baking sheet. Season with pepper and bake until golden brown and tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Assembly
8Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes; cook until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain; transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain; set aside.
9Lower the oven heat to 375º.
10Spread 1 cup of the béchamel on the bottom of a 10″ x 14″ baking dish. Next, evenly arrange the potatoes over the top then spread the meat sauce over the potatoes. Arrange the eggplant in an even layer then spread the remaining béchamel over the top. Sprinkle with the Gruyère cheese; bake until golden brown, about 1 hour.
11Garnish with parsley. And cut into squares to serve.
Ingredients
Meat Sauce
2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
1 Medium yellow onion, chopped
3 Garlic, chopped
0.75 lb Ground American lamb
0.75 lb Ground beef (80/20)
2 tbsp Tomato paste
1 cup Red wine
14 Chopped tomatoes (1 can)
2 Bay leaves
1 Stick cinnamon
BÉCHAMEL
8 tbsp Unsalted butter
0.25 cup All-purpose flour
2 cups Whole milk
0.25 tsp Ground cinnamon
0.25 tsp Ground nutmeg
0.50 cup Parmesan cheese
0.50 tsp Kosher salt
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
Eggplant
2 Medium eggplants, thinly sliced into 1/4in slices
Kosher salt, to taste
6 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Assembly
2 Medium russet potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 cup Gruyère, shredded
1 tsp Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions
Meat Sauce
1Heat a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional minute. Add the lamb and ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Stir in the tomato paste then add the wine and cook until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon stick and bay leaves and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Remove from heat and cover.
BÉCHAMEL
2Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Add the flour and stir to combine, let cook about 1 minute, to cook the flour taste off.
3Add the milk and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until the sauce has slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg, stirring to combine. Next, stir in the Parmesan and salt until completely combined, then remove the pot from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
4Add the mixture to a blender with the eggs and puree until completely combined. Add back to the pot and set aside.
Eggplant
6Lay the eggplant out on sheets of paper towels and sprinkle with salt to drain for 30 minutes.
7Toss the eggplant in the oil and arrange in a single layer on an parchment paper lined baking sheet. Season with pepper and bake until golden brown and tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Assembly
8Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes; cook until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain; transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain; set aside.
9Lower the oven heat to 375º.
10Spread 1 cup of the béchamel on the bottom of a 10″ x 14″ baking dish. Next, evenly arrange the potatoes over the top then spread the meat sauce over the potatoes. Arrange the eggplant in an even layer then spread the remaining béchamel over the top. Sprinkle with the Gruyère cheese; bake until golden brown, about 1 hour.
11Garnish with parsley. And cut into squares to serve.
