Meditteranean Inspired Eggplant And Feta Casserole Recipes

MOUSSAKA: EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Salt the eggplant. Spread the eggplant slices in one layer and sprinkle with salt. Let set for 30 minutes to "sweat out" its bitterness.
• Turn the broiler of your oven on.
• Prepare a large sheet pan or two and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Pat the eggplant slices dry, removing excess salt, and assemble in one layer on the prepared pan. Brush generously with olive oil.
• Place the sheet pan about 6 inches away from the broiler. Broil the eggplant briefly, turning over so that both sides are softened and golden brown (do not worry if parts of the eggplant are slightly charred, but watch carefully so it doesn't burn). Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Prepare the meat sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Cook the onions on medium heat until they turn slightly golden brown, stirring regularly (about 5 minutes). Now add the ground lamb. Cook the lamb until fully browned, tossing regularly. Drain the lamb from any excess fat and return to the skillet. Add the dried oregano, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and hot paprika. Stir to coat the meat with the spices. Add the wine and boil for 1 minute to reduce. Stir in the canned tomatoes, sugar, and broth. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and work on the bechamel.
• Make the bechamel. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden (if needed, added a little more olive oil). Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continuously. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the nutmeg. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot bechamel mixture with the 2 eggs. Then return all to the pan and stir into the bechamel mixture. Continue to stir or whisk the mixture bringing to a gentle boil for just 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat and allow to cool and thicken a little more. (You should have a creamy, thick and smooth bechamel sauce.)
• Assemble the moussaka. When ready, lightly oil a 9 ½" x 13" oven-safe baking dish. Layer half the eggplant slices on the bottom. Add the meat sauce and spread well. Add the remaining eggplant slices. Pour the bechamel on top and spread to cover all the eggplant, then sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
• Bake. Bake the moussaka casserole on the center rack of the heated oven for 45 minutes. If you need to, transfer the baking pan to the top rack and broil briefly so that the top of the moussaka gains a nice golden brown color (watch carefully).
• Remove from the heat and let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before cutting through into squares to serve. Enjoy!

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN MEDLEY WITH EGGPLANT AND FETA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon of mixture for later use.
• Dip sliced chicken into the flour mixture to coat both sides. Place on a plate.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and onion and cook until soft and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to a baking dish. Cook zucchini and bell pepper in the same skillet over medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to the baking dish with the eggplant.
• Add additional oil to the skillet if needed and brown chicken on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to the baking dish with the vegetables. Pour tomatoes into the same skillet and add reserved flour mixture and dill paste. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and pour into the baking dish. Top with feta cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh dill.

MEDITTERANEAN INSPIRED EGGPLANT AND FETA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• 1. Salt eggplant and let stand 30 minutes. Rinse and dry thoroughly. 2. Preheat oven to 350. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in frying pan, add onions, and cook over medium heat for four minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Transfer onions to plate. 3. Add 1 tbsp. oil to pan and cook eggplant slices for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Drain on paper towel. 4. Heat 1 tbsp. oil and cook meat until done. Set aside to cool. 5. Generously oil a large casserole dish. Line the dish with filo, working with one sheet at a time and overlapping. Brush pastry with oil and add layers to form a crust. Make sure to cover the sides of the dish. 6. Fill pastry with meat. Top with onions, then eggplant, feta, and rosemary. 7. Cover filling with additional filo pastry, brushing with oil between layers and sealing up around the sides. 8. Bake for 25 minutes, until pastry is browned. 9. For tomato herb sauce: combine all ingredients in a pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until liquid is mostly gone, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve casserole warm with tomato sauce drizzled on top.

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare onion, celery, green bell pepper, fresh tomato & black olives in stated quantity as directed & set aside.
• Slice unpeeled eggplant into 1/4" thick slices. Put olive oil in a saute pan & cook eggplant slices (in batches) till just slightly tender. Remove from pan & set aside.
• In the same pan, add onion, celery & bell pepper. Saute till crisp-tender.
• Remove from heat & stir in chopped tomato, black olives, herbs & spices.
• Place 1/3 of eggplant slices in a 9x13" baking dish. Top with 1/3 of veggie/spice mixture & repeat layering 2 more times. Bake 15 minutes.
• While casserole is baking, beat eggs & set aside. In a separate bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp olive oil & Parmesan cheese. Mix well & set aside.
• At 15 minutes, remove casserole from oven. Drizzle beaten eggs over surface, let them seep into the veggie mixture & move veggies around gently using a fork to aid this process as required.
• Sprinkle breadcrumb, olive oil & Parmesan cheese mixture evenly over surface & return to oven for 15 min or till breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve immediately.
• NOTE: While the recipe did not suggest this, IMO this dish is capable of being expanded to a 1-dish meal w/the addition of your cooked grd meat of choice &/or crumbled feta cheese as another option.