Hob To Table Moussaka Recipes

HOB-TO-TABLE MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Brown the mince: Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan. Toss in the onion and garlic and fry until soft. Add the mince and stir fry for 3-4 minutes until browned.
• Season and simmer: Tip the tomatoes into the pan and stir in the tomato purée and cinnamon, then season generously with salt and pepper. Leave the mince to simmer for 20 minutes, adding the aubergines half way through.
• To serve: Sprinkle the crumbled feta and chopped mint over the mince. Bring the moussaka to the table as the feta melts and serve it with a crunchy green salad and toasted pitta.

MOUSSAKA

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.

BEEF AND POTATO MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, 7-9 minutes, breaking into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in water, tomato paste, parsley, salt, mint if desired, cinnamon and pepper. Set aside., For sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Add cheese and salt., Place half of the potato slices in a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish. Top with half the cheese sauce and all of the meat mixture. Arrange remaining potatoes over meat mixture; top with remaining cheese sauce., Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, about 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

AUTHENTIC GREEK MOUSSAKA

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.

STOVE-TOP MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, shallow pan.
• Toss in the onion and garlic and fry until soft.
• Add the ground lamb and stir fry for 3-4 minutes until browned.
• Tip the tomatoes into the pan and stir in the tomato paste and cinnamon, then season generously with salt and pepper.
• Leave the mince to simmer for 20 minutes, adding the eggplant half way through.
• Sprinkle the crumbled feta and chopped mint over the lamb.
• Bring the moussaka to the table as the feta melts and serve it with a crunchy green salad and toasted pita.

SUPER MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a large saucepan, bring the water and the 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add the bulgur, cover the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and let the bulgur sit for 10 minutes.
• Lay the eggplant slices on one or two lightly greased baking sheets. Bake them in the oven for 15 minutes or until the eggplant has softened but is not browned. Remove the eggplant from the oven, and lower the temp to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• While the eggplant is baking, make the bechamel sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook it , stirring often for 1 minute. Add the flour, and stir constantly for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Simmer the mixture, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Sprinkle the basil, nutmeg, salt and pepper into the saucepan of bechamel sauce.
• Spoon the bulgur into a 9x11 inch casserole dish, and pat the bulgur down well. Lay the eggplant slices on the bulgur, overlapping them in rows.
• Squeeze the tomatoes through your hands to break them up, and spread the broken tomatoes and their juice over the eggplant.
• Gradually pour the bechamel sauce into the beaten egg, whisking constantly. Pour the sauce over the tomatoes.
• Bake the moussaka, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Slice it as you would lasagna, and serve.

SHORTCUT MOUSSAKA

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.

MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Peel and cut the brinjals in slices 6mm thick. Place the slices in a deep 3.5 l dish and add the boiling water. Cover and microwave for 10 minutes on 100% power, shaking the dish at 3 minute intervals. Drain the slices well and arrange half of them in a 25 x 25 cm (9") casserole dish.
• Peel and chop the onions finely, while the brinjals are cooking. Brown them on the hob, in the butter or margarine. Add the beef. After they are browned, add the can up tomatoes with the juice and the tomato paste. Simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make the sauce in the microwave oven. (Or do your own thing on the hob!) Microwave the milk, cornflour, butter or margarine and salt, uncovered, in a deep 1l dish for 4 minutes on 100% power, stirring well with a wire whisk at 1 minute intervals. Beat the egg and stir it quickly into the sauce. Stir in the cheese.
• Put half the meat mixture on top of the brinjals in the casserole dish. Arrange the rest of the brinjal slices on top and cover them with the remaining meat mixture.
• Pour the sauce over the moussaka and microwave it, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes on 70% power, or until done or Bake in a conventional oven (190C/375 or gas mark 5) for 40 minutes or until the topping is set and golden.