Mediterreanan Casserole

This is a great casserole for the upcoming holiday season.  It makes a very large pan and it skips the pasta.  It serves 10 to 12 as it is but add a side of pasta and salad and it can easily serve 18.  It is a little time consuming but it freezes well, just wait to add the bread crumb mixture until you are ready to bake.  If you freeze it, be sure to thaw it prior to cooking.



Meat Mixture
3 Tablespoons Butter
2 large Onions, grated
1 1/2 pounds of Ground Beef
4 Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
1 cup of Red Wine plus extra for deglazing
1 teaspoon of Nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

Cream Mixture
6 cups Milk
1 cup or 2 sticks of Butter
1/4 cup Flour
1/4 cup Cornstarch

Zucchini Mixture
1 1/2 pounds of zucchini, thinly slice, but not paper thin
1 cup of Unseasoned Bread Crumbs
3 Cups of grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
6 large Eggs at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter for meat mixture over low heat in a large skillet.  Saute onions until soft.  Add beef slowly, and cook over high heat, crumbling meat with a spatula, until brown.  In a 2 cup Measuring cup,  measure 1 cup of wine and add tomato paste.  Whisk until smooth, then add to meat.  Reduce heat to low, add nutmeg, pepper, salt, and cinnamon and mix.  Cover and reduce heat, let simmer for about 30 minutes, remove lid and let cook until dry but not scorched, stirring frequently.  Add remaining wine, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup and remove from heat.
While beef mixture is simmering, in another large container, scald milk and set aside.  Melt butter in a 4 quart saucepan over low heat.  Slowly sift in flour and cornstarch, whisking constantly so that the mixture does not become lumpy.  Add a dash of nutmeg.  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly and add another dash of nutmeg.  Cook until thick as the consistency of heavy cream, whisking constantly.  Remove from heat and cool.
To assemble the casserole, add 1 1/2 cups of Parmesan Cheese and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs into the the meat mixture.
Grease sides and bottom of a 16" X 10" X 2" oven proof dish. Sprinkle with enough bread crumbs to cover the bottom and sides.  Spread half of the slices of zucchini over the bread crumbs.  Sprinkle 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Spread meat mixture on top.  Beat eggs, well.  Mix the other half of the zucchini with the beaten eggs and spread over the top of the meat mixture.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Pour cream sauce over all.  Mix 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle over Cream Sauce.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Sit back and wait for the applause.

Enjoy!

Deloris