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Peel and slice eggplant, salt each slice lightly, and place layers in a colander, and set aside in a drain area for 1 hour minimum.
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[In a 4-½ qt. Saucepan]…add 2 tbs. oil, and onion, and sauté over low heat till onion begins to soften, and become translucent.
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Add Tomato Paste; fry for approx. 5 minutes (stirring constantly) *Do Not Burn.
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Add Tomato Sauce, Heat to a slight boil; add baking soda and stir.
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Add Oregano, Pepper; and Cinnamon. Add the uncooked ground meat of choice ( *this is a texture importance), by grabbing pinches of the meat,(Approx. 1 tsp. at the time, and dropping into the area of the sauce).
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*DO NOT STIR* for the first 10 minutes of cooking*. [ This gives the meat a coarser texture].
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Continue cooking (stirring occasionally now) at a simmer for 45min. to 1 Hr.
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While sauce is cooking, Add oil to a skillet, just covering the pan, ( Electric skillet at 350*F works best). Pat dry on a towel or paper towel, the eggplant slices, and dredge in flour, shake off excess flour, and fry till golden brown.( *They fry up quickly). Set on paper towels to drain and absorb excess oil. Add fresh oil as needed to skillet. Then fry potato slices, till just lightly browned. Set on paper towels.
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In a 13”x 9”x 3” high pan…ladle tomato sauce just to cover, then add a layer of the fried egg plant. Dot a few of the fried potato slices randomly, Do not completely cover; (the potato slices help set and eliminate the wateriness and set the casserole more firmly).
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Add some of the meat/sauce mixture on top of the first layer, then repeat with remaining layers of eggplant and potatoes as in the first assembly.
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(Usually there will be enough for three layers.)
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Note*- ( There may be some sauce/meat mixture left over )
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Preheat oven to 375*F
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[In a 2-½ qt. saucepan], add the milk; water; and salt and pepper , and bring to just boiling; stirring with a whisk to prevent burning….. gradually add the Farina into the hot milk, and stir continually till the farina just starts to thicken. Beat the eggs well, and temper the eggs with a ladle or two of the hot farina mixture, then add the tempered eggs to the farina mixture; stirring continually, the mixture will now start to thicken. If the cream sauce is too thick, this can be checked and the cream sauce should run freely off a spoon. If not, add a little milk to thin out. Remove from heat, and carefully pour the mixture on top of the layers of egg plant . Place in the 375*F oven on the centermost rack, for approx. 60 to 70 minutes, and bake till the top is browned and bubbly.
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