Moussaka casserole (an easy version)

- 2 ½ lb eggplant

- 1 lb ground beef
- 5 tblspoons olive oil
- 1 onion, thinly chopped
- 2 tblspoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
- 7 tblspoons minced parsley

- 12 oz gouda cheese (or any other somewhat soft cheese), grated
- 200 ml thick cream
- 1 cup thick yoghurt

Step 1- eggplant
- remove both ends of eggplant, remove skin, and slice into thin slices
- spray large baking pan with no-stick olive oil spray (or brush bottom with olive oil)
- lay eggplant slices in pan (one layer)
- spray eggplant slices with no-stick spray or brush with olive oil
- bake in preheated oven, on high, for about 10 minutes or until top turns golden brown
- remove from oven and let cool down

Step 2 – ground beef
- Sauté onion in olive oil for about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring
- Add ground beef, stir, and continue sautéing for another 4-5 minutes or until brownish
- Add water with tomato paste diluted in it, stir
- Add salt, pepper and parsley
- Cover pot and cook on high for about 12 minutes, or until water absorbed and sauce thickens

Step 3 – topping
- Mix cheese, cream and yoghurt well

Step 4 – layering and baking
- Use an 8x12 inch baking pan; spray it with no-stick spray
- Separate eggplant slices into two batches.
- Lay one batch of eggplant slices on bottom of baking pan
- Pour over the ground beef mix
- Lay second batch of eggplant slices over ground beef mix
- Pour over eggplant topping mix
- Sprinkle with pepper
- Bake in preheated oven, at 375, for about 70 minutes

note: to keep top from turning brown too soon, place aluminum foil on rack above baking pan