Quick Moussaka
*Adapted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butter or oil a 4-quart ovenproof casserole dish. On a separate baking sheet, toss your cubed eggplant with 6 T. oil and 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer and roast in the oven until the eggplants is soft and golden - between 20-30 minutes.
2. Place potatoes in steamer pot on stove and cook until potatoes are almost cooked all the way through - likely they will take almost the same amount of time that the eggplant is cooking. Once you put a fork in potatoes and they are soft but not falling apart, then turn off stove and keep warm in the pot.
3. In large skillet, warm remaining 1 T. of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and ground meat (I used grass-fed ground beef) and cook until meat is browned (about 5 minutes or so). Stir in tomatoes, paste, parsley or basil, oregano, cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes are starting to reduce slightly. Add your crushed garlic and turn off stove.
4. Add the cooked eggplant to the bottom of your 4-quart ovenproof casserole dish, and cover with half of the tomato meat mixture. Next layer the scalloped potatoes and cover with remaining tomato meat mixture.
5. Heat broiler. In a small bowl mix Greek yogurt, feta, parmesan, egg, a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread this mixture on the top of your casserole, evenly to the edges. Broil until topping is browned in spots, anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot with a salad.
- Butter or olive oil for baking casserole dish
- 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into chunks*
- 4 potatoes, cut in 1/4 inch rings (like for scalloped potatoes)
- 7 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef or lamb
- 1 can 28-ounce chopped tomatoes
- 2 tsp. tomato paste
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley or fresh basil
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 cup Greek yogurt French onion dip (instead of ricotta)
- 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled at room temperature
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- l large egg
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butter or oil a 4-quart ovenproof casserole dish. On a separate baking sheet, toss your cubed eggplant with 6 T. oil and 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer and roast in the oven until the eggplants is soft and golden - between 20-30 minutes.
2. Place potatoes in steamer pot on stove and cook until potatoes are almost cooked all the way through - likely they will take almost the same amount of time that the eggplant is cooking. Once you put a fork in potatoes and they are soft but not falling apart, then turn off stove and keep warm in the pot.
3. In large skillet, warm remaining 1 T. of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and ground meat (I used grass-fed ground beef) and cook until meat is browned (about 5 minutes or so). Stir in tomatoes, paste, parsley or basil, oregano, cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes are starting to reduce slightly. Add your crushed garlic and turn off stove.
4. Add the cooked eggplant to the bottom of your 4-quart ovenproof casserole dish, and cover with half of the tomato meat mixture. Next layer the scalloped potatoes and cover with remaining tomato meat mixture.
5. Heat broiler. In a small bowl mix Greek yogurt, feta, parmesan, egg, a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread this mixture on the top of your casserole, evenly to the edges. Broil until topping is browned in spots, anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot with a salad.