Beef & Potato Moussaka

Prep : ...25 minutes ...Bake: ... 1 hour  +standing ... 8 servings

1 .....................pound ground beef
1 .....................medium onion , chopped
1 .....................garlic clove , minced
3/4 ..................cup water
1 .....................can (16 ounces) tomato paste
3 .....................tablespoons  minced fresh parsley
1 .....................teaspoon salt
1/2 ..................teaspoon dried mint  (optional)
1/4 ...................teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 ...................teaspoon pepper
                   PARMESAN SAUCE :
1/4 ...................cup butter , cubed
1/4 ...................cup all-purpose flour
2 ......................cups milk
4 ......................eggs , lightly beaten
1/2 ...................cup graded Parmesan cheese
1/2 ...................teaspoon salt
5 ......................medium potatoes , peeled and thinly sliced

1        In a large skillet  , cook the beef  , onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink ; drain . Stir in water  , tomato paste , parsley , salt  , mint if desired  , cinnamon  and pepper . Set aside .
2        For sauce , melt butter  in a saucepan over medium heat . Stir in flour  until smooth ; gradually add milk . Bring to a boil  ; cook and stir 2 minutes  or until thickened . Remove  from the heat . Stir in a samll amount  of hot mixture  into the eggs  ; return all to the pan , stirring  constantly  . Add the parmesan cheese  and salt .
3        Place half of the potato slices in a greased shallow 3-quart baking dish . Top with half of the parmesan sauce  and all of the  meat mixture . Arrange  the remaining potatoes  over meat  mixture  ; top with remaining  Parmesan sauce .
4        Bake , uncovered  , at 350* for 1 hour  or until potatoes  are tender  . Let stand  10 minutes before serving .

Beef & Potato Moussaka  is a classic Greek  entree ... it has earned high marks  each time I make it . Men love the hearty meat and potatoes combination .
Heart healthy .