Crock Pot Moussaka Recipes

Steps:

• Place peeled and sliced eggplant on the bottom of the crock pot.
• Brown the ground meat in a large skillet until there is no pink remaining.
• Add the remaining ingredients- except the feta cheese- to the skillet and combine thoroughly, mixing the tomato paste completely.
• Add meat mixture to the crock pot on top of the eggplant.
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
• Sprinkle some of the feta cheese on each serving.

Steps:

• For the lamb: Soak the currants in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the lamb, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cayenne, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a large strainer set over a bowl and drain; discard any liquid left in the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the serrano and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
• Return the lamb to the pan, add the wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and currants and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and oregano and season with salt and pepper and honey, if needed. Remove from the heat.
• For the eggplant: Heat the canola oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the eggplant slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices and fry until tender and lightly golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant slices to paper towels.
• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until pale and smooth, 2 minutes. Still whisking constantly, add the milk and bay leaf and cook until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and discard the bay leaf. Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, goat cheese, and lemon zest and whisk into the bechamel sauce until smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish or casserole dish.
• To assemble: Put half the eggplant slices in the dish and cover with half the meat sauce. Top the sauce with the remaining eggplant slices, and then the remaining meat sauce. Pour the bechamel over the top of the meat sauce and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle Romano evenly over the top, place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake until browned and bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Top with more chopped parsley, if desired. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• 1. Slice eggplants and zucchini about 1 inch thick. Salt lightly and place in strainer with heavy pot on top of them to press out liquid. At least 15 minutes though closer to an hour is better.
• 2. Brown the ground meat. After browned add chopped onions, minced garlic, chopped parsley, oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper until onions are transparent. Add crushed tomatoes and paste with a pinch of sugar. Let simmer until liquid is absorbed or dissipated.
• 3. In another pot, boil peeled potatoes until just done.... not too soft they fall apart. Once cooled, slice into 1 inch slices.
• 4. Bechmel Sauce Heat with medium low temp, the butter with the flour and make a golden roux (a paste that is cooked until golden) about 7 minutes. In a separate pan, heat milk til scalding (not boiling, just before so) Add milk a cup at a time to flour mixture and stir til smooth, continue. Continue to stir and bring to a soft boil. It may take a few moments, stir until sauce is smooth and glossy. (not grainy from the flour)Add salt, nutmeg and cinnamon and mix. Take off heat and put aside. (If too much is made, refrigerate the rest for other uses.)
• 5. The eggplant and zucchini slices can be prepared in a few different ways, one being a simple flour coating and frying them til tender, the other grilling with olive oil, or finally using breadcrumbs and egg white wash and backing until tender.
• 6. Rub the Crock Pot with a light coat of olive oil. Assembly will be, the bottom layer the meat tomato mixture and then about a quarter of the Parmesan cheese. Add slice potatoes on top and more Parmesan. Next a layer of zucchini and finally of the eggplant slices. Top with the rest of the Parmesan cheese.
• 7. Cover with Bechmel sauce, pouring into all the "cracks" and gaps. Cook on high for about an hour and a half. The top will not be browned as if made in the oven, but will have dried out enough to be spongy. This same recipe can be doubled and made in a pan and put in the oven, baked until top is golden. This messes up a lot of pans, but oh so worth it!