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Monday, 26 April 2010 |
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moussaka with feta
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Rather than layering heavy fried eggplant, gamey lamb sauce, and bechamel, I combine roasted slices of eggplant with a rich beef-lamb sauce and two cheeses. It takes less time to make it this way and it seems to please more tastes. If you are not a lamb person, you can use all ground beef in this.
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serves 6
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prep time: 30 minutes |
cook time: 40 minutes |
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2 large eggplants
olive oil
salt
1 yellow onion, chopped
3/4 pound ground lamb
3/4 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup red wine
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
freshly ground pepper
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 cup shredded Asiago or parmesan cheese
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Preheat the oven to 375°. Slice the eggplants about 1/4-inch thick. Brush both sides with olive oil, sprinkle lightly with salt, and roast on parchment-lined baking sheets (do not overlap) in oven until lightly browned on top (about 15 minutes). Turn eggplant slices over and continue roasting until browned on both sides. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, heat a few tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened (3 to 4 minutes). Crumble in the meats and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink; drain off fat. Stir in the oregano, cinnamon, red wine, and a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until wine has evaporated a little, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and honey, stirring well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with pepper.
In an oiled 9x13–inch baking dish, layer one third of the roasted eggplant slices, meat sauce, and cheese, then repeat the layers two more times, ending with sauce then cheese on top. Bake until bubbly and browned at the edges, about 40 minutes. |
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to make this a complete meal: The ultimate match for this is fattoush salad, but you can make a simple version with chopped romaine, sliced green onions, and snipped fresh dill dressed with olive oil and lemon juice and served with pita crisps.
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