Moussakawithhalloumiandricottacheesetopping Recipes

Steps:

• Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the beef is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, fines herbs and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
• To make the bechamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the meat. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and place in a colander set in the sink or over a plate. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour so the salt can draw out any bitterness.
• Meanwhile, make bechamel sauce. Heat milk in a saucepan almost to a boil. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until a smooth paste forms. Lower heat and gradually pour in hot milk, whisking constantly until bechamel sauce thickens. Season with salt. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Rinse eggplant slices under cold running water. Squeeze out liquid and pat dry with paper towels. Whisk egg yolks into the cooled bechamel.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and cook eggplant slices in batches until each side is lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a large plate lined with paper towels.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Cook grated onion until soft, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground beef. Cook and stir until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Season with allspice, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
• Stir in tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until all excess liquid has evaporated and mixture appears dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the egg white.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant in the prepared baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the beef mixture and sprinkle with 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Cover with remaining eggplant and sprinkle another 1/3 of Parmesan cheese on top. Pour bechamel sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top of the moussaka is set and golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Steps:

• Peel and slice eggplant into 1/4-inch slices lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt. Place in a colander to drain (about 30 minutes). Rinse and let dry between paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place eggplant onto well oiled jelly roll pans. Brush with olive oil. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Set aside. In a large skillet cook onions in 1/4 cup water, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt until onions are clear. Remove and set aside. In same skillet brown meat. Add cooked onions, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Cook, stirring well. Reduce sauce until almost dry and set aside. In 15 by 10-inch greased pan sprinkle 1/2 of the cracker crumbs to cover the bottom (the rest will be used for the top). Place a layer of eggplant close together over cracker crumbs. Top with 1/3 of the grated cheese. Add 1/2 of the meat mixture. Spread evenly. Repeat once more and top with eggplant and cracker crumbs. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese. Beat 11 eggs and 1 cup of milk together well. Spoon entire mixture on top of mousaka wetting all crumbs and cheese. Drizzle top with 4 tablespoons melted butter. Bake in 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes until golden brown on top and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and cut into diamonds or squares. Serve warm.
• This recipe freezes well. Thaw and cut into pieces and heat through.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350°F.
• Slice the eggplant into 1cm slices. Brush with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes until soft.
• Chop the onion finely and fry until soft. Add the garlic and mince. Brown the mince. Add the tomatoes, basil (shredded) and some seasoning. Simmer to reduce the tomatoes to a thick sauce.
• To make the topping, grate the halloumi cheese into a bowl. Add the ricotta, flour and the egg yolks. Add a little milk if the mixture is too thick.
• Beat the egg whites until they reach the soft peak stage (not stiff peaks). Season the egg and cheese mixture and then fold in the egg white, being careful not to knock all the air out of the egg white.
• To assemble the dish, put half the meat mixture in an ovenproof dish. Add a layer of eggplant, the rest of the meat and another layer of eggplant. Pour the egg and cheese topping over the top and bake until the topping is risen and golden (about 20 to 30 minutes).
• This can also be made with beef mince or brown lentils and carrots for a vegetarian version.

Steps:

• For the meat filling: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over moderate heat. Cook onions until soft. Add lamb and garlic, and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. When meat is well browned, stir in remaining ingredients. Transfer to oven and bake until quite dry, about 45 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the eggplant: Cut eggplant into 1/4 inch slices, lengthwise. Sprinkle with salt on both sides, and let rest on a rack until moisture rises to surface, about 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant briefly, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set aside to drain on paper towels.
• For the vegetable filling: Wash and dry all vegetables, then cut into fine julienne. Blanch carrots and peas in a small saucepan of boiling water just until water returns to a boil. Refresh in cold water, drain, and reserve.
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Cook leeks along with salt 1 minute, add celery and cook 1 minute, then mushrooms and cook and additional minute. Set aside to cool. Toss all vegetables together in a large bowl and reserve.
• For the custard: Combine eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Pass through a strainer to remove any stray eggshells. Whisk in Parmesan cheese and set aside.
• To assemble: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir one third of custard into meat filling. Combine remaining custard with vegetable filling.
• In a 9 by 13 inch roasting pan or casserole, arrange one third eggplant slices to completely cover bottom. (The slices may overlap. That's fine.) Spread half meat filling on top, then cover with another third eggplant slices. Pour all vegetables in custard on top. Cover with remaining eggplant, then spread remaining meat mixture evenly over top.
• Place the moussaka pan inside a larger roasting pan and pour boiling water into roasting pan until it rises halfway up the sides of the moussaka pan. Bake, uncovered, until custard is set in center, about 1 1/2 hours. You can test for doneness by sticking a knife in the center. If custard oozes out, cook longer.
• Cut into individual portions and lift out with a spatula. Serve immediately, topped with Pimento Sauce. Moussaka can be made 1 or 2 days in advance and reheated in a 325 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Steps:

• For the Eggplant and Potatoes: Season the eggplant and potatoes with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 inch of oil to a large skillet and heat. When the oil is hot, fry the potato slices, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the potatoes to a paper towel lined plate. Replenish the oil so there is still 1/2 inch in the bottom of the pan. Fry the eggplant slices in the oil, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add more oil as necessary. Remove the eggplant from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.
• For the Lamb Tomato Sauce mixture: Place a saute pan on the stove over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the ground lamb. Saute the ground lamb for 2 minutes, until it begins to turn brown. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain off any excess fat from the pan. Season the mixture with oregano, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon and cook for 3 more minutes. Deglaze the pan with red wine. Cook over medium high heat until the red wine has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture is a thick tomato sauce consistency, about 30 minutes. Check for seasoning. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
• For the Bechamel: In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour to make a roux. Cook the roux over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes, or until it becomes a very pale tan color. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Add the nutmeg and the lemon juice. Simmer, stirring constantly, over low heat for 15 minutes. The mixture should be fairly thick. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Take 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk it into the beaten eggs. This will temper the eggs. Whisk the egg/milk mixture back into the milk mixture. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir. Over very low heat, cook this mixture for 3 more minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cool.
• To finish: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the bottom of a 9x13 inch-baking dish with 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs. Place a layer of the eggplant over the breadcrumbs. Place a layer of the potatoes over the eggplant. Place 1/2 of the lamb tomato sauce mixture over the potatoes. Spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce over the lamb mixture. Top the bechamel with another layer of eggplant and another layer of potatoes. Top with the remaining lamb mixture. Place one more layer of eggplant and potatoes over the lamb mixture. Top with the remaining bechamel. Sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with mint and parsley.

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:

• Bake the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.
• Make the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Break the meat up into small pieces and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until just cooked but still slightly pink inside, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.
• Make the custard sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Return to the heat and while whisking constantly, bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir to cool. When the sauce is cool, whisk in the egg and yolks.
• Assemble the moussaka. Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with the oil. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Cover with half of the meat sauce and smooth with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and meat sauce. Pour the custard sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the Pecorino Romano and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and the custard is set, about 1 hour.
• Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove eggplant stem's, cut lengthwise down the middle, then crosswise into 1/2 inch slices (half-moon shaped).
• Place on paper towels (optional), lightly salt and set aside.
• In a large fry pan heat 1 T oil and cook meat (or mushrooms) until browned. Drain if necessary (optional).
• Mix in onion and cook until onion is tender.
• Mix in garlic, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, pepper, oregano, parsley, tomato paste, and wine.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until sauce starts to thicken up.
• Blot moisture from eggplants (optional).
• Arrange eggplants in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Brush with oil and cook until lightly browned, turn, brush with oil and repeat-around 10 min total. (or you can just rub oil into them, cook for 10 minutes, turning once).
• Cream Sauce:.
• Melt butter in a med saucepan, stir in flour, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
• Remove from heat and gradually stir in milk.
• Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
• In a small bowl beat the eggs and additional yolk, temper the eggs by adding a bit of the hot mixture and over low heat slowly add the eggs to the sauce, mixing well.
• Assembly:.
• Place half the eggplant in an ungreased square or oval casserole dish, top with the meat or just onion sauce and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.
• Cover with remaining eggplant, pour on cream sauce and top with remaining parmesan cheese.
• At this point you can refrigerate overnight.
• Bake at 350°F, 180°C for about 40 minutes or until the top is well browned.

Steps:

• Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the beef is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, fines herbs and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce with wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
• To make the béchamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9- x 13-inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the meat. Cover the remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Pour the béchamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake for 1 hour at 350ºF (175ºC).

Steps:

• Heat a frying pan over a high heat. Drizzle 4 tbsp of the oil over the slices of aubergine and fry them in several batches for 5-7 mins or until golden brown and beginning to soften. If they look a little dry during cooking, add a dash more olive oil. Set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the mince and fry for 8-10 mins until a deep golden brown, regularly stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon. Tip into a bowl and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the casserole. Tip in the onion along with a pinch of salt and fry gently for 10-12 mins or until softened and turning translucent. Add the garlic, oregano, cinnamon, chilli and bay cooking for a further min. Return the lamb to the pan and pour in the red wine, bring to a bubble and reduce the wine by half. Stir through the tomatoes, tomato purée and brown sugar, along with 200ml water. Season. Lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 mins, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened.
• Heat oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 4. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the potato slices and cook for 6 mins, drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for 10 mins.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the flour and cook over a medium heat for 1 min. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, pouring in a bit at a time, until smooth. Return to the heat and bring to a simmer, cooking for 3 mins. Remove from the heat and whisk through the parmesan, a little grated nutmeg and some seasoning, and finally the whole egg as well as the yolk.
• Take a large rectangular ovenproof dish. Spoon a third of the meat into the dish and spread out evenly, followed by half the aubergine and half the potato, then the rest of the meat and another layer of aubergines, followed by potatoes. Finish with the béchamel, smoothing the top over with a palette knife. Put in the centre of the oven and cook for 50 mins or until deep golden brown. If it browns too much during cooking, cover the dish. Set aside for 10 mins to cool before serving.

Steps:

• Place the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the beef is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
• To make the bechemel sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually pour in the milk, increase the heat to medium high once all the milk is in the pan, bring it close to boiling, but not boiling, keep whisking until thickened. Season with salt, and white pepper. In the last minute of cooking add the fresh thyme and quickly whisk in the beaten egg.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the meat. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Spread the bechemel sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees F or until bachemel sauce is nicely browned.
• Bon apetit!

Steps:

• In large, heavy saucepan, heat 1/4 cup oil; saute finely ground meat, onion and garlic until lightly browned; add oregano, basil, cinnamon, salt, ripe olives (if using) and tomato sauce; Cover and simmer slowly about 30 minutes; uncover and simmer slowly another 30 minutes.
• While sauce simmers, prepare Bechamel Sauce (recipe below) and eggplant; cut ends from eggplant (1 large or 2 small) and cut in 1/2-inch-thick slices (if using large, flask-type eggplant, peel the skin off in strips with a vegetable peeler - creating a striped look - with some of the peel left on and some off. If using Japanese-style (the longish, purply-white ones), don't bother to peel at all); Place on a cookie sheet and brush with remaining olive oil; Place under broiler and broil until light brown; Remove from oven, salt lightly, turn eggplant and repeat process; Then position rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees.
• There are three ways you can prepare the potatoes for this delicious casserole: 1) shallow-fry potato rounds in olive oil until golden-brown or, 2) for fewer calories, arrange the potato slices in your baking pan, brush lightly with olive oil, bake for 15 minutes, continue with assembly, or 3) if you want to cut calories further, parboil them for 8 minutes; drain well on paper towels.
• To assemble: In 13x9x2-inch baking dish, arrange layer of potatoes, overlapping slightly, season lightly (there will be only one layer of potatoes, so use them all up); next, do a layer of eggplant; sprinkle some Parmesan, kaseri (or cheddar) and bread crumbs over eggplant; layer meat sauce, freshly grated cheeses, crumbs and Bechamel Sauce until all is used; bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees or until flecked golden-brown on top.
• To make Bechamel Sauce: In saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat; whisk in flour and cook slowly until smooth and lightly cooked (2-3 minutes); add salt and remove from heat; add milk, whisking rapidly and return to heat; cook until thick and bubbly, whisking constantly; allow to cool 5 minutes, whisking once in a while to prevent a skin from forming; incorporate eggs and grated cheese with wire whisk to make fluffy sauce.
• Freezer Notes: Once the baked moussaka has completely cooked, cut serving-size pieces, double-wrap in foil and freeze. Defrost in the usual manner and reheat in microwave (or oven) for a delicious, quick meal, when there's little time to cook and dinner is ready and waiting in the freezer!