Serves 10 / A vegetable-laden version of the Greek classic. This entire dish can be made one day ahead; cover with foil and refrigerate, then add 15 minutes to the cooking time (remove foil after 15 minutes).
1½ pounds 90 percent lean ground lamb or beef
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 heaping teaspoon chopped garlic
2 eggplants (about 1¼ pounds), sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 15-ounce cans no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
SAUCE:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups low-fat (1 percent) milk, divided
2 large egg whites
¼ cup white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Cook lamb in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. Drain any fat from pot and return to heat. Add onion to pan; sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add lamb, parsley, and next 8 ingredients (salt through garlic); gently boil until thick, about 30 minutes.
To prepare sauce: Heat oil and 1½ cups milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering (do not boil). In a large bowl, whisk together remaining ½ cup milk, egg whites, flour, and salt; gradually add hot milk mixture to egg white mixture, whisking constantly. Return to pan and cook over medium-low heat until thick, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
Preheat broiler. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with olive oil and place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned.
Set oven heat to 375°. Spread half of the beans in a deep-sided, 9×13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with half of the eggplant slices. Spread half of the lamb mixture over eggplant. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Repeat layers. Spread sauce over all, and top with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
PER SERVING: 300 cal, 31% fat cal, 10g fat, 3g sat fat, 46mg chol, 23g protein, 29g carb, 7g fiber, 579mg sodium
