Salt the eggplant on both sides, then place on a wire rack and let sit to draw out excess moisture for 30 minutes.

Pat the eggplant dry.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil, then add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the ground beef or lamb, season with salt, and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the red wine and reduce by half.

Add the beef stock, tomato puree, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, oregano, sugar, and a good pinch of salt and pepper, then let simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat and melt the butter.

Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

Whisk in the milk and nutmeg, then gently cook until thickened.

Remove the béchamel from the heat, whisk in the parmesan, then let cool for 10 minutes.

Whisk in the egg yolks and a pinch of salt.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add 1/4 cup olive oil, then, working in batches, brown the eggplant and potatoes on both sides.

Spoon a bit of meat sauce on the base of a baking dish, then arrange the potatoes in a single layer.

Spoon over the remaining meat sauce, add a layer of eggplant, the parsley, and the béchamel.

Drizzle over some olive oil, add panko and cracked black pepper, then bake until golden and bubbling.

Let rest 15 minutes before dividing into individual portions and serve.