MOUSSAKA: EGGPLANT CASSEROLE
Greek Moussaka is an eggplant casserole with layers of roasted eggplant and spiced meat sauce, topped with creamy bechamel sauce. Once baked, be sure to allow the moussaka a few minutes to rest before cutting through, the casserole needs to settle so it does not fall apart when you slice into it. More tips in the post and recipe notes.
Provided by Suzy Karadsheh
Categories Entree
Number Of Ingredients 21
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!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 309.9 kcal, Sodium 259.4 mg, Fat 20 g, SaturatedFat 6.4 g, TransFat 0.1 g, Carbohydrate 19.4 g, Fiber 3.5 g, Protein 12.3 g, Cholesterol 61.2 mg, UnsaturatedFat 10.5 g, ServingSize 1 serving
SHORTCUT MOUSSAKA
Like a moussaka meets shepherd's pie, this cheater's version of the Greek spiced lamb casserole was born, Melissa Clark wrote, "out of a combination of hunger, ingenuity and a lack of time." Instead of a fussy béchamel, it is made with a creamy layer of mashed potatoes laced with kefalotiri or Parmesan cheese, and instead of frying the eggplant, it is cut into cubes and roasted. It isn't exactly a quick recipe, but it's far easier than the classic dish and equally satisfying.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, main course
Time 2h
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a colander, toss the eggplant and 1 teaspoon salt. Drain in the sink for 15 minutes.
- Heat oven to 450 degrees Toss the eggplant with the oil and spread on a large baking sheet. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden and tender, about 40 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
- Bring 6 cups water, the potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes; drain and return potatoes to the warm pot. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolk. Mash potatoes with milk-egg mixture, 1/2 cup cheese, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- In a very large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the lamb, breaking it up with a fork as it cooks. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Push the meat to one side of the skillet and spoon off all but a thin layer of fat from the skillet. Add the onions and cinnamon sticks to the skillet. Cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir the lamb back into the onions and add the garlic and ground clove. Cook 2 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are soft and the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in the eggplant.
- Spoon into a 9-inch baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the lamb. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until top is golden brown and slightly crusty, about 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 602, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 39 grams, Fat 40 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 24 grams, SaturatedFat 17 grams, Sodium 1145 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 0 grams
SHORTCUT MOUSSAKA
Provided by Donna Smith
Categories Bake Eggplant Bon Appétit Michigan
Yield Serves 12
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and chopped onion and cook until beef is brown, breaking up beef with fork, about 15 minutes. Mix in tomato sauce, red wine, parsley, crumbled oregano and ground cinnamon. Simmer until mixture thickens and is almost dry, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Boil until thick, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Beat eggs in small bowl to blend. Whisk small amount of milk mixture into eggs. Return mixture to saucepan. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Remove custard from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Season custard to taste with salt and pepper.
- Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange half of eggplant in bottom of dish. Season with salt and pepper. Spread meat mixture over. Top with remaining eggplant. Pour hot custard cheese sauce over eggplant. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover loosely with foil and bake 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking until golden and bubbling on edges, about 10 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes.
SHORTCUT MOUSSAKA
Make and share this Shortcut Moussaka recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Karen in MA
Categories Vegetable
Time 1h50m
Yield 12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef and chopped onion and cook until beef is brown, breaking up beef with fork, about 15 minutes.
- Mix in tomato sauce, red wine, parsley, crumbled oregano and ground cinnamon. Simmer until mixture thickens and is almost dry, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.).
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir 1 minute.
- Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Boil until thick, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.
- Beat eggs in small bowl to blend. Whisk small amount of milk mixture into eggs. Return mixture to saucepan.
- Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Remove custard from heat.
- Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Season custard to taste with salt and pepper.
- Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange half of eggplant in bottom of dish. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread meat mixture over. Top with remaining eggplant.
- Pour hot custard cheese sauce over eggplant. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking until golden and bubbling on edges, about 10 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 364, Fat 25, SaturatedFat 10.3, Cholesterol 127.5, Sodium 431.3, Carbohydrate 10.7, Fiber 2.3, Sugar 3.1, Protein 21.5
MR. FOOD SHORTCUT MOUSSAKA
This is a recipe that I have made for years and never divulged the source lol. I try to make this with well drained browned ground lamb, almost an impossibility to find where I lived in Florida. It works ok with ground turkey, too.
Provided by mandabears
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 1h
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large skillet, sauté ground beef over medium high heat for 7-8 minutes or until crumbly and only slightly pink.
- Drain off any excess liquid.
- Add eggplant to same skillet and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until eggplant starts to soften.
- Add garlic, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper.
- Mix well.
- Add spaghetti sauce and cook for 4-5 minutes or until hot.
- Grease a 7 x 11 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place meat/eggplant mixture into baking dish, smooth the top.
- In a small bowl combine the eggs, milk, salt and mix until smooth.
- Pour over the meat mixture.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until custard is set.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 427.3, Fat 26.8, SaturatedFat 10.6, Cholesterol 171.2, Sodium 858.1, Carbohydrate 12.2, Fiber 4, Sugar 5, Protein 33.1
MOUSSAKA
This recipe for moussaka is adapted from one found in David Rosengarten's book "Taste" which includes an entire section devoted to the classic Greek casserole. In the book, Mr. Rosengarten claims that his is "the lightest, least oily, least tomatoey, most eggplanty, most refined moussaka that you've ever tasted." Isn't that just what you want as you plan a dinner party? Mr. Rosengarten writes with bravado, but he certainly persuaded me to try his recipe. And it delivered.
Provided by Amanda Hesser
Categories dinner, project, sauces and gravies, main course
Time 4h
Yield 15 servings
Number Of Ingredients 21
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick eggplants several times with a fork. Rub a little olive oil into their skins. On a large baking sheet, roast eggplants until soft, about 30 minutes, turning frequently. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices.
- In a saute pan, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over high heat and brown eggplant slices lightly on each side. Do this in batches, adding more oil as necessary. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.
- In a saucepan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves, and saute until tender. Add tomatoes and their puree, squeezing them into coarse chunks. Add parsley, oregano, cinnamon and vinegar. Stir well. Simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Reserve.
- In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add remaining onions and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes. Add lamb, in stages if necessary, and brown well, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon. Add wine and bring to a boil. Cook until wine has nearly evaporated. 5. Season lamb with salt, black pepper and 2 pinches of nutmeg. Stir in 1 cup of reserved tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
- In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat, and gradually whisk in flour. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Do not let this brown. Add hot milk and whisk rapidly to combine. Bring to a slow boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth and thickened. Season with salt, white pepper and remaining 2 pinches nutmeg. Let cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and whisk in a spoonful of bechamel. Whisk in remaining bechamel in a thin stream, and adjust seasoning.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Assemble moussaka: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs across the bottom of a large baking dish (18-by-8-by-3 inches) and cover crumbs evenly with half the eggplant slices. Drain as much oil from lamb mixture as possible, and spread the meat over the eggplant layer. Top meat with half the cheese, then with half the remaining bread crumbs. Place remaining eggplant slices on top of the bread crumbs, then add the bechamel, remaining cheese and remaining bread crumbs in even layers. Dot with remaining butter.
- Bake for 45 minutes, until well browned. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Cut into 3-inch squares to serve. Serve with the extra tomato sauce.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 441, UnsaturatedFat 15 grams, Carbohydrate 27 grams, Fat 29 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 19 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 1034 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams, TransFat 0 grams
SHORTCUT MOUSSAKA - NYTIMES
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- 1. In a colander, toss the eggplant and 1 teaspoon salt. Drain in the sink for 15 minutes. 2. Heat oven to 450 degrees Toss the eggplant with the oil and spread on a large baking sheet. Roast, turning occasionally, until golden and tender, about 40 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. 2. Bring 6 cups water, the potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes; drain and return potatoes to the warm pot. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolk. Mash potatoes with milk-egg mixture, 1/2 cup cheese, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. 3. In a very large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the lamb, breaking it up with a fork as it cooks. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Push the meat to one side of the skillet and spoon off all but a thin layer of fat from the skillet. Add the onions and cinnamon sticks to the skillet. Cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir the lamb back into the onions and add the garlic and ground clove. Cook 2 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are soft and the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in the eggplant. 4. Spoon into a 9-inch baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the lamb. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake until top is golden brown and slightly crusty, about 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
More about "shortcut moussaka recipes"
MOUSSAKA RECIPE | BON APPéTIT
From bonappetit.com
4.9/5 (46)Estimated Reading Time 7 minsServings 8Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
- Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 475°. Whisk half of the garlic, ½ cup oil, 1 Tbsp. mint, and 1 Tbsp. oregano in a small bowl. Brush both sides of eggplant rounds with herb oil, making sure to get all the herbs and garlic onto eggplant; season with salt and pepper. Transfer eggplant to a rimmed baking sheet (it’s okay to pile the rounds on top of each other) and roast until tender and browned, 35–45 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large wide pot over high. Cook lamb, breaking up with a spoon, until browned on all sides and cooked through and liquid from meat is evaporated (there will be a lot of rendered fat), 12–16 minutes. Strain fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean small bowl and transfer lamb to a medium bowl. Reserve 3 Tbsp. lamb fat; discard remaining fat.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. lamb fat in same pot over medium-high (reserve remaining 1 Tbsp. lamb fat for assembling the moussaka). Add onion, cinnamon, 2½ tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender and translucent, 8–10 minutes. Add chiles and remaining garlic and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add paprika and tomato paste and cook until brick red in color, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and no longer smells of alcohol, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and break up with a wooden spoon into small pieces (the seeds will shoot out at you if you’re too aggressive, so start slowly—puncture the tomato, then get your smash and break on!). Add lamb and remaining 1 Tbsp. mint and 1 Tbsp. oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is evaporated and mixture looks like a thick meat sauce, 5–7 minutes. Pluck out and discard ci
- Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium until foaming. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until combined, about 1 minute. Whisk in warm milk and bring sauce to a boil. Cook béchamel, whisking often, until very thick (it should have the consistency of pudding), about 5 minutes; stir in salt. Remove from heat and whisk in farmer cheese and half of the Pecorino. Let sit 10 minutes for cheese to melt, then add egg yolks and vigorously whisk until combined and béchamel is golden yellow.
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