I love moussaka and this vegetarian version caught my eye for a couple reasons. First, I'm a big fan of the author's work and several of her recipes have made it into my favorites file. Instead of meat, she uses crushed walnuts which add terrific texture. And the bechamel replaces half the usual milk...with yogurt. The layers or flavor--with the feta in the tomato sauce, a lovely spice blend, and the yogurt-based bechamel all combine to make a seriously memorable dish. I like her tip about using the broiler to brown eggplant instead of the usual pan frying.
Aglaia's Moussaka with Spicy Tomato Sauce, Walnuts, and Feta
From Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts
Serves 6
2 large eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds) but lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips
Olive oil
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 large green bell peppers, seeded, quartered, and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 to 2 teaspoons Maras pepper or a good pinch of crushed red pepper
1/3 cup red wine
1/2 cup black currants (I used chopped prunes)
1 cinnamon stick
1 pound chopped tomatoes or 2 1/2 cups canned tomatoes with their juices
1 to 2 teaspoons Lebanese Seven-Spice Mix (see below)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
For the topping
2 cups grated aged cheddar or Gruyere
2 cups Olive Oil and Yogurt Bechamel Sauce (see below)
Preheat the broiler to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Salt the eggplant slices and leave them in a colander for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Rinse the eggplants and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the eggplant slices lightly with oil on both sides and grill them under the broiler, turning as needed, until golden on both sides, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
Sprinkle the bottom of a 9x12 inch dish with the bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons of walnuts.
Heat about 1 inch olive oil in a deep, heavy skillet and fry the potato slices until golden brown and cooked about half way through. Remove with a slotted spoon and layer them in the baking dish over the bread crumb mixture.
Sautee the bell peppers in the same oil, stirring often, until they start to color, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Carefully pour off all but 2/3 cup of the frying oil from the pan and reserve the rest to make the bechamel. Sautee the chopped onions in the skillet, stirring often, for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the hot pepper and the red wine. When it starts to boil, about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the spices and remove from the heat. Add the rest of the walnuts and the feta. Taste and correct the seasoning with more salt or hot pepper--the mixture should be quite spicy.
Arrange the eggplant slices over the potatoes. It doesn't matter if they overlap. Place the sauteed peppers over the eggplants and top with the tomato sauce.
Make the topping: Prepare the bechamel as directed (below), using the reserved oil. Remove form the heat, and fold in the cheese, reserving 2 tablespoons. Pour the bechamel over the dish, sprinkle with the reserved cheese, and bake for about 1 hour, until the moussaka is bubbly and the top colors.
Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. You can also cool the moussaka completely, refrigerate, and reheat just before serving. It will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
Olive Oil and Yogurt Bechamel Sauce
Makes 2 cups
3 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup yogurt
In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a whisk until frothy. Remove from the heat and continue stirring 30 seconds. Add the milk and yogurt mixture, stir a few times, and return to medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and continue stirring for a few more seconds.
Lebanese Seven-Spice Mixture
Makes about 1/3 cup
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger.
Aglaia's Moussaka with Spicy Tomato Sauce, Walnuts, and Feta
From Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts
Serves 6
2 large eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds) but lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips
Olive oil
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 large green bell peppers, seeded, quartered, and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 to 2 teaspoons Maras pepper or a good pinch of crushed red pepper
1/3 cup red wine
1/2 cup black currants (I used chopped prunes)
1 cinnamon stick
1 pound chopped tomatoes or 2 1/2 cups canned tomatoes with their juices
1 to 2 teaspoons Lebanese Seven-Spice Mix (see below)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
For the topping
2 cups grated aged cheddar or Gruyere
2 cups Olive Oil and Yogurt Bechamel Sauce (see below)
Preheat the broiler to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Salt the eggplant slices and leave them in a colander for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Rinse the eggplants and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the eggplant slices lightly with oil on both sides and grill them under the broiler, turning as needed, until golden on both sides, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
Sprinkle the bottom of a 9x12 inch dish with the bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons of walnuts.
Heat about 1 inch olive oil in a deep, heavy skillet and fry the potato slices until golden brown and cooked about half way through. Remove with a slotted spoon and layer them in the baking dish over the bread crumb mixture.
Sautee the bell peppers in the same oil, stirring often, until they start to color, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Carefully pour off all but 2/3 cup of the frying oil from the pan and reserve the rest to make the bechamel. Sautee the chopped onions in the skillet, stirring often, for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the hot pepper and the red wine. When it starts to boil, about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the spices and remove from the heat. Add the rest of the walnuts and the feta. Taste and correct the seasoning with more salt or hot pepper--the mixture should be quite spicy.
Arrange the eggplant slices over the potatoes. It doesn't matter if they overlap. Place the sauteed peppers over the eggplants and top with the tomato sauce.
Make the topping: Prepare the bechamel as directed (below), using the reserved oil. Remove form the heat, and fold in the cheese, reserving 2 tablespoons. Pour the bechamel over the dish, sprinkle with the reserved cheese, and bake for about 1 hour, until the moussaka is bubbly and the top colors.
Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. You can also cool the moussaka completely, refrigerate, and reheat just before serving. It will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
Olive Oil and Yogurt Bechamel Sauce
Makes 2 cups
3 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup yogurt
In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a whisk until frothy. Remove from the heat and continue stirring 30 seconds. Add the milk and yogurt mixture, stir a few times, and return to medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and continue stirring for a few more seconds.
Lebanese Seven-Spice Mixture
Makes about 1/3 cup
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger.