When I saw a massive eggplant (10 inches long) at Walmart, the first dish that crossed my mind was Moussaka. A popular Greek dish that I learned at Nirmala Niketan, College of Home Science, Mumbai. It consists of eggplant layers alternated with ground meat and topped with a thick layer of béchamel sauce. The eggplant literally melts-in-your-mouth and with the combination of meat and creamy sauce, this dish is beyond delicious and irresistible.
There are various steps in the preparation of this dish. The eggplant can be sliced lengthwise or in rounds, seasoned with salt and pepper powder, brushed with olive oil and baked. Ground meat is cooked with tomato sauce and red wine to a thick consistency. Béchamel sauce is made with butter, flour, milk and thickened with eggs. Finally, the dish is put together with the various layers and baked at 350 F or 180 C for 30 minutes. Allowed to set for few minutes, cut and served.
When purchasing eggplants, select ones that are firm, heavy, with a smooth skin and no brown spots. Some variety of eggplants are bitter and contain more seeds. Male eggplants have fewer seeds and less bitter, with shallow, round indent at the bottom. Female eggplants have an indent that is deep and shaped like a line.
There are various steps in the preparation of this dish. The eggplant can be sliced lengthwise or in rounds, seasoned with salt and pepper powder, brushed with olive oil and baked. Ground meat is cooked with tomato sauce and red wine to a thick consistency. Béchamel sauce is made with butter, flour, milk and thickened with eggs. Finally, the dish is put together with the various layers and baked at 350 F or 180 C for 30 minutes. Allowed to set for few minutes, cut and served.
When purchasing eggplants, select ones that are firm, heavy, with a smooth skin and no brown spots. Some variety of eggplants are bitter and contain more seeds. Male eggplants have fewer seeds and less bitter, with shallow, round indent at the bottom. Female eggplants have an indent that is deep and shaped like a line.
Moussaka
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1/2 kg ground beef or lamb
700 to 800 grams eggplants
1 large onion (chopped)
4 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400 ml tomato puree (made from canned diced tomatoes)
1/2 cup red wine
1 cinnamon stick (2")
1/2 teaspoon all spice powder
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (for assembling)
freshly cracked black pepper
a pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil + extra for eggplant
salt
Mince
Method:
In a skillet, brown the ground meat and set aside. If meat is too lean, then add some olive oil.
Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion with garlic. When onion is soft, add the cinnamon stick, tomato paste and stir in the mince. Mix in the tomato puree, red wine and spice powder. Cover, cook on medium heat until thick and all the liquid absorbed. Check for seasoning, add sugar and salt.
Eggplant
Method:
Cut eggplants into 1/4-inch rounds, season with salt and pepper.
Note: If you are using a male eggplant, no need to set the eggplant slices aside to draw out the moisture as they are not bitter.
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
Brush eggplants slices with olive oil and place on greased baking tray. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on one side, turn and bake the other side, total 20 to 30 minutes. Once eggplants are done, remove from the oven and set aside.
Béchamel Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (grated)
freshly cracked black pepper
salt
Method:
Heat butter in a pan, sprinkle flour, stir with a whisk and cook on a low flame until pale golden in colour with a slightly nutty aroma. Slowly, drizzle milk and stir continuously mixing in the flour, avoiding any lumps.
Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, add nutmeg powder, cheese, pepper and salt. Remove from the heat. Whisk in little white sauce with the egg and then add egg mixture to the béchamel sauce. Stir and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
Assembling:
In a 9.5" x 7.5" x 3’ baking dish, sprinkle 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs, then layer some eggplants, top with some mince and sprinkle 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs.
Continue as above with a total of three layers each of eggplants and mince. Top the final mince layer with béchamel sauce and cover with remaining breadcrumbs.
Bake until mixture is bubbling and top slightly brown, about 30 minutes.
Allow moussaka to set for 10 to 15 minutes, cut and serve.
Note:
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1/2 kg ground beef or lamb
700 to 800 grams eggplants
1 large onion (chopped)
4 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400 ml tomato puree (made from canned diced tomatoes)
1/2 cup red wine
1 cinnamon stick (2")
1/2 teaspoon all spice powder
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (for assembling)
freshly cracked black pepper
a pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil + extra for eggplant
salt
Mince
Method:
In a skillet, brown the ground meat and set aside. If meat is too lean, then add some olive oil.
Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion with garlic. When onion is soft, add the cinnamon stick, tomato paste and stir in the mince. Mix in the tomato puree, red wine and spice powder. Cover, cook on medium heat until thick and all the liquid absorbed. Check for seasoning, add sugar and salt.
Eggplant
Method:
Cut eggplants into 1/4-inch rounds, season with salt and pepper.
Note: If you are using a male eggplant, no need to set the eggplant slices aside to draw out the moisture as they are not bitter.
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
Brush eggplants slices with olive oil and place on greased baking tray. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on one side, turn and bake the other side, total 20 to 30 minutes. Once eggplants are done, remove from the oven and set aside.
Béchamel Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese (grated)
freshly cracked black pepper
salt
Method:
Heat butter in a pan, sprinkle flour, stir with a whisk and cook on a low flame until pale golden in colour with a slightly nutty aroma. Slowly, drizzle milk and stir continuously mixing in the flour, avoiding any lumps.
Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, add nutmeg powder, cheese, pepper and salt. Remove from the heat. Whisk in little white sauce with the egg and then add egg mixture to the béchamel sauce. Stir and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
Assembling:
In a 9.5" x 7.5" x 3’ baking dish, sprinkle 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs, then layer some eggplants, top with some mince and sprinkle 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs.
Continue as above with a total of three layers each of eggplants and mince. Top the final mince layer with béchamel sauce and cover with remaining breadcrumbs.
Bake until mixture is bubbling and top slightly brown, about 30 minutes.
Allow moussaka to set for 10 to 15 minutes, cut and serve.
Note:
- Potato layer can be included, in which case, peel and cut some potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Season with salt and pepper. Coat with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 F or 200 C until tender and cooked through. Layer the bottom layer with potato, then eggplant and mince. Continue repeating the layers finishing with the béchamel sauce and topping with breadcrumbs.
