Moussaka Eggplant Casserole Recipes

Steps:

• Place the eggplant slices in a large bowl and cover with water. Add 1/2 cup of salt and agitate gently to combine. Let stand for 20 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
• While the eggplant is soaking, heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet and, working in batches, add the potato slices and cook until lightly golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper-lined plate to drain and repeat with any remaining potato slices. Season lightly with salt.
• Place 1 cup of the flour in a bowl and dredge the eggplant slices in the flour. Shake to remove any excess flour. Add 1/4 cup of the remaining oil to the skillet and, working in batches, fry the eggplant slices until golden on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add more oil to the skillet as needed in 1/4 cup increments. Repeat until all eggplant has been cooked. Transfer to a paper-lined plate to drain.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and, when melted, add the onions. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the ground meats, garlic, and oregano and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, until meat is browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the red wine and cook until evaporated. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, water and parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all liquid is evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and, when hot, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring until smooth and thick. Season with salt, to taste, and whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese and set aside, covered, while you assemble the casserole.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and place the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Top with half of the eggplant slices and half of the meat sauce. Spoon 3/4 cup of the bechamel sauce evenly over the meat sauce and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Top with the remaining eggplant slices, pressing down on the layers gently with your hands to compress. Top with the remaining meat sauce and then spread the remaining bechamel sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on the top and heated throughout, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand for at least 40 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Steps:

• In a large pan, cook the meat over medium-high heat until brown, breaking it up with a potato masher as it cooks. If using ground sirloin you might need to add a touch of oil.
• Drain the meat if desired and return to pan. Add in the eggplant, potatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cinnamon and basil. Simmer covered about 15 minutes. Remove lid, turn heat to medium-high and add in wine. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until it evaporates. Stir in tomatoes, olives and simmer to reduce juices, season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2 quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• For the Bechamel sauce, place the melted butter in a medium size saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook for a minute. Add milk, bring to a boil and continue to wisk until thickened. Remove from heat.
• Break eggs into a small dish, whisking until combined. Stir in a small amount of white sauce and whisk to combine. Whisk egg mixture into white sauce. Stir in Parmesan cheese and nutmeg.
• Pour the meat and vegetable mixture into prepared casserole and pour the sauce over all. Smooth evenly with a spatula, sprinkle with additional cheese. Place in oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• For the eggplant: Wash eggplant and cut off both ends. Peel 1/2-inch strips of peel from the eggplant, making stripes of skin. Slice crosswise into 1/3-inch rounds. Salt and pepper both sides and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry. Heat the oil in a large saute pan, and fry the eggplant on both sides, until golden brown. Drain well on paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the Meat Filling: Heat the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beef and cook until brown, about 6 minutes. Add the wine and reduce until it is almost dry. Add in tomato paste, water, parsley, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Simmer for 30 minutes, remove from heat and cool.
• For the bechamel: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Blend in the flour, and gradually stir in the milk. Cook, stirring, until thick and smooth. Add in the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cool. Add 4 ounces of cheese and blend well. For the assembly: Butter a 9 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange half of the eggplant and half of the meat mixture, alternately, until completely used. Cover with the bechamel sauce, and the remaining cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Cut into 3-inch squares and serve warm.

Steps:

• PREPARE EGGPLANT: Cut off the stem sections of 2 large fresh eggplants. Peel eggplant using a sharp vegetable peeler. Cut eggplants lengthwise in even 1/8" thick slices. Pour 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil into a large microwave-safe bowl. Mash 2 garlic cloves using a garlic press and add to oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper. Stir. Heat mixture in microwave about 30-45 seconds on high. Rub or brush the sliced eggplant with the oil mixture until lightly coated. Wipe the bowl clean with a paper towel and set aside. Arrange seasoned eggplant single-layer onto a flat-ridged or press-type grill on medium-high heat. When the eggplant has dark grill marks, turn and grill other side the same (skip turning eggplant if using a press-type grill). Allow eggplant to "sweat" until needed. Sprinkle, then pat, finished eggplant slices liberally using 1/2 cup powdered parmesan cheese.
• IN a large food processor, chop 1 large onion, 1 medium bell pepper, one handful pitted kalamata olives, 1 handful flat leaf parsley leaves, and 8-12 garlic cloves.
• HEAT 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; ADD the above chopped vegetables, 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper; SAUTE until meat is browned and vegetables have softened.
• ADD 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, 3/4 cup dry greek red wine, 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons greek honey, 1 1/4 teaspoons crushed dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/2 tablespoon ouzo or 1/4 teaspoon pure anise extract, 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried mint, 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper, 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, and 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese; STIR well; COVER; REDUCE heat; SIMMER for 45 minutes or longer (sauce will be thick); RE-SEASON sauce to taste with fine sea salt if needed (leave sauce just slightly under-salted since sauce will concentrate while baking).
• INTO the previously wiped large bowl, separate 4 large eggs, retaining the yolks in bowl (refrigerate egg whites sealed, for another use while fresh);.
• WHISK in 4 cups whole milk until smooth; ADD 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 level teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 pinch cayenne pepper; WHISK again until blended; SET aside.
• MELT 1/2 cup salted butter over medium heat; ADD 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and cook for just one minute; POUR milk and egg mixture all at once into roux while whisking constantly; CONTINUE whisking often until sauce thickens up and begins to bubble; REMOVE from heat; WHISK in 3/4 cup powdered parmesan cheese until smooth and glossy; COVER loosely with plastic wrap; BLEND 1/2 cup of the BECHAMEL into the fully-simmered SAUCE.
• PREHEAT oven to 350 F; OIL a 2-3 quart casserole dish with olive oil; SPREAD 1/2 (one half) of the EGGPLANT single-layer in bottom of baking dish; POUR the entire SAUCE mixture over top then smooth; ADD the remaining EGGPLANT over the SAUCE; POUR all of the BECHAMEL sauce over the eggplant; SMOOTH bechamel sauce. NOTE: YOU CAN SPRINKLE THE TOP OF CASSEROLE NOW LIGHTLY WITH GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE (PLUS MINCED FRESH PARSLEY IF DESIRED) OR YOU CAN GARNISH WHILE STILL HOT, JUST AFTER BAKING.
• BAKE for 1 hour; ALLOW to rest 20 minutes before slicing.
• SERVE and enjoy!

Steps:

• Potatoes:.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Toss the potatoes with the olive oil in a large bowl.
• Put them in a single layer on a baking sheet and season to taste.
• Roast until soft and starting to brown, about 35 minutes.
• Béchamel Sauce:.
• In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.
• Add flour and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes until it starts bubbling but does not color.
• Gradually whisk in the hot milk.
• Continue whisking for about 6 to 8 minutes until it thickens.
• Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Put the eggs in a large bowl.
• Whisk the béchamel sauce into the eggs.
• Continue whisking for a few minutes until the béchamel has cooled slightly (enough so that the eggs won't curdle).
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
• Make sure to place wrap directly on the surface of the sauce so a skin does not form.
• Set aside.
• Lamb:.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
• Add lamb and sauté until cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 6 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.
• Add wine, cayenne pepper, and oregano and cook 2 minutes.
• Stir in cinnamon, tomatoes, tomato paste and nutmeg.
• Reduce heat to medium.
• Cover and simmer until sauce is very thick and reduced to about 6 cups, stirring occasionally, about 60-70 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, preheat the grill on medium-high heat.
• Brush the eggplant slices with oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill until cooked through and golden, about 2 minutes per side.
• Set aside.
• To Assemble:.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat a 14x10x2-inch glass baking dish with oil.
• Arrange potatoes in bottom of dish.
• Arrange half of eggplant slices over potatoes.
• Pour half of lamb sauce over.
• Arrange another layer of eggplant slices on top.
• Pour remaining sauce over.
• Pour béchamel sauce over moussaka, covering completely.
• Bake moussaka uncovered until bubbling around edges, about 1 hour or until topping is softly set and browned.
• Transfer baking dish to rack and let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

Steps:

• To prepare the eggplant:
• 1. Place the eggplant in a colander, toss liberally with salt, and let sit for about 1 hour to drain away extra water. Squeeze out the excess water and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
• 2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Working in batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning as necessary, until tender and light brown, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer the cooked slices to a rack set over a baking sheet to drain while you sauté the remaining eggplant. Set aside.
• To prepare the meat sauce:
• 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until just browned, about 5 minutes.
• 2. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, bay leaf, and 1/2 cup water and bring the liquids to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, season with salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has reduced and the sauce is very thick, about 30 minutes.
• 3. Add the red wine and continue simmering until the wine has reduced and developed a sweet aroma, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Set the sauce aside.
• To prepare the cheese sauce:
• 1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and whisk until it is dissolved and the mixture resembles a smooth paste, about 2 minutes.
• 2. Gradually whisk in the milk about 1 cup at a time, working out any lumps that form. Bring the sauce to a full boil, then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.
• 3. In a medium bowl lightly beat the egg yolks. Whisk about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks to bring them up to the same temperature. Slowly add the yolk mixture to the rest of the milk mixture, then add the cheese and blend well. Set aside and keep warm.
• To assemble the moussaka:
• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 2. Scatter the breadcrumbs in a deep, rectangular baking dish. Arrange about half of the eggplant slices in an even layer over the breadcrumbs. Add all of the meat sauce over the eggplant and spread into an even layer. Arrange the remaining eggplant in an even layer over the meat sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the eggplant.
• 3. Bake the moussaka until the cheese sauce is thick and golden brown and the eggplant is very tender, about 45 minutes. Let the moussaka rest for 25 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Peel and slice eggplant, and slice into pieces 1/2 inch thick; sprinkle with sea salt and allow to sit and drain in a colander. Rinse eggplant with water; pat dry and mince.
• Cook lamb and onion in olive oil in a large nonstick skillet until meat is browned. Add potato, garlic, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg, cooking until potato is browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and vinegar along with water and cook until potato is done, then place in a large casserole dish or lasagna pan.
• Add more oil to nonstick skillet, and cook eggplant in two batches, until browned and tender, adding 1/2 cup dry red wine at the end of each cooking cycle and allowing the wine to cook in and absorb.
• Mix together cooked eggplant with sauce in pan, and spread evenly.
• Add butter to skillet along with flour and whisk into a roux; add milks and seasonings, and cook, stirring, until thickened. astir in cheese and remove from heat.
• Add 1/2 cup bechamel sauce to the eggs, whisking quickly to temper them and keep them from scrambling in the bechamel sauce, then add egg/sauce mixture to the bechamel sauce and finish whisking.
• Spread bechamel sauce over meat sauce.
• Bake moussaka uncovered for 35-40 minutes at 350°F or until bechamel sauce is set.
• Allow casserole to rest about 15 minutes before serving (I serve the salad course while waiting).