Lighter Moussaka With Crunchy Feta Oregano Recipes

LIGHTER MOUSSAKA WITH CRUNCHY FETA & OREGANO

Steps:

• Heat a dry non-stick pan and add the lamb, breaking it up with a fork. Cook until brown, then tip the meat into a bowl. Heat the oil in the pan and fry the courgettes and aubergines until golden, about 6-8 mins.
• Return the meat to the pan and add the lentils, half the oregano and the passata. Crumble in the stock cube. Fill the passata jar to about half full with water (about 340ml), swirl and add to the pan. Simmer for 25-30 mins until the lentils are tender, adding more water if you need to. Season to taste.
• Heat the grill to high. Mash together the rest of the oregano with the yogurt, feta and some seasoning. Pour the lamb mixture into 1 large or 4 individual ovenproof dishes, spoon over the topping, scatter on the crumbs, then grill for 3-4 mins until bubbling. Serve with salad and flatbreads, if you like.

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.

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.

QUICK MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butter a 4-quart ovenproof dish. On a baking sheet, toss eggplant with 6 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer, and roast in the oven until soft and golden, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer eggplant to prepared dish, spreading in an even layer.
• In a large saucepan, warm remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and ground meat; cook, stirring to prevent sticking, until meat is browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in drained tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, oregano, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Simmer, crushing tomatoes with the edge of a spoon, 15 minutes. Spread the mixture evenly over the eggplant.
• Heat broiler. In a small bowl, mix ricotta, feta, egg, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of salt. Pour mixture over the casserole, and spread evenly to the edges. Broil until topping is browned in spots, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.

VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Rinse and pat eggplant dry. Cook eggplant and zucchini in hot oil until lightly browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side; remove with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving as much oil as possible in the skillet
• Adding more oil to skillet as needed and let it get hot. Cook potato slices in hot oil until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side; remove with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate, again reserving oil in the skillet.
• Saute onion and garlic in reserved oil until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in vinegar, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low; cook until liquid is reduced in volume and thick. Stir in tomatoes, lentils, 1/2 the juice from lentils, oregano and parsley. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Layer about 1/3 of the eggplant, 1/3 of the zucchini, 1/2 the potatoes, 1/2 the onions, and 1/2 the feta into a 13x9-inch baking dish. Pour tomato mixture over vegetables; repeat layering, finishing with a layer of eggplant and zucchini.
• Cover and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Stir butter, flour, and milk together in a small saucepan; bring to a slow boil, whisking constantly until thick and smooth. Season with pepper and nutmeg; stir. Remove from heat, cool for 5 minutes, and stir in beaten egg.
• Pour sauce over vegetables and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for another 25 to 30 minutes.