Greek Egg Casserole Food

MOUSSAKA: EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Salt the eggplant. Spread the eggplant slices in one layer and sprinkle with salt. Let set for 30 minutes to "sweat out" its bitterness.
• Turn the broiler of your oven on.
• Prepare a large sheet pan or two and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Pat the eggplant slices dry, removing excess salt, and assemble in one layer on the prepared pan. Brush generously with olive oil.
• Place the sheet pan about 6 inches away from the broiler. Broil the eggplant briefly, turning over so that both sides are softened and golden brown (do not worry if parts of the eggplant are slightly charred, but watch carefully so it doesn't burn). Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Prepare the meat sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Cook the onions on medium heat until they turn slightly golden brown, stirring regularly (about 5 minutes). Now add the ground lamb. Cook the lamb until fully browned, tossing regularly. Drain the lamb from any excess fat and return to the skillet. Add the dried oregano, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and hot paprika. Stir to coat the meat with the spices. Add the wine and boil for 1 minute to reduce. Stir in the canned tomatoes, sugar, and broth. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and work on the bechamel.
• Make the bechamel. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden (if needed, added a little more olive oil). Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continuously. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the nutmeg. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot bechamel mixture with the 2 eggs. Then return all to the pan and stir into the bechamel mixture. Continue to stir or whisk the mixture bringing to a gentle boil for just 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat and allow to cool and thicken a little more. (You should have a creamy, thick and smooth bechamel sauce.)
• Assemble the moussaka. When ready, lightly oil a 9 ½" x 13" oven-safe baking dish. Layer half the eggplant slices on the bottom. Add the meat sauce and spread well. Add the remaining eggplant slices. Pour the bechamel on top and spread to cover all the eggplant, then sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
• Bake. Bake the moussaka casserole on the center rack of the heated oven for 45 minutes. If you need to, transfer the baking pan to the top rack and broil briefly so that the top of the moussaka gains a nice golden brown color (watch carefully).
• Remove from the heat and let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before cutting through into squares to serve. Enjoy!

GREEK NOODLE CASSEROLE (PASTITSIO)

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the lamb, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and mint. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• For the sauce: Simmer the milk and cream over medium heat in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese and whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the yogurt.
• Add the meat sauce to the pasta and toss well until the noodles are coated. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce evenly on top and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped mint if using, and serve.

GREEK BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook sausage, green pepper and shallot over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles, 8-10 minutes; drain. Transfer mixture to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with artichokes, broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes., In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites, milk and seasonings until blended; pour over top. Sprinkle with feta., Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Freeze option: Cool baked casserole; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 325°. Bake casserole as directed until heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°.

MEDITERRANEAN EGG CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. In 8-inch nonstick pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper and garlic in oil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly softened. Add spinach, and cook about 1 minute or until starting to wilt.
• In baking dish, layer half of the baguette, 1 cup of the feta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the bell pepper mixture, artichokes, olives and sun-dried tomato. Layer remaining baguette, and top with remaining 1/2 cup feta cheese. In large bowl, beat eggs and milk with whisk; beat in pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Pour over bread mixture, pressing down slightly. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and center is just set. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

KAGIANAS (GREEK EGGS AND TOMATO)

Steps:

• Place tomatoes into a food processor; blend until smooth.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in tomatoes, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until all liquid has evaporated from the tomatoes, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add eggs; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is evenly dry and no large chunks remain, 7 to 10 minutes.

GREEK SCRAMBLED EGGS

Steps:

• Lop off a dime-size piece of the base of the tomato using a sharp knife. Grate the tomato from the base along the coarse side of an upright hand grater.
• In a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil and add the garlic. Cook for a minute or so, careful not to burn. Add the tomatoes. Cook them until all their water has cooked off and all that's left is thick pulp, about 10 minutes.
• Pour in the eggs and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Stir all together with a wooden spoon. Remove when the eggs are cooked to desired doneness, anywhere between 5 and 8 minutes.
• Transfer to serving plates and sprinkle with grated Greek kefalotyri cheese.

GREEK EGG CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat eggs and whipping cream with whisk or fork until well blended. Stir in spinach, Monterey Jack and mozzarella cheeses, onion, salt, pepper flakes and oregano. Pour into baking dish.
• Bake 38 to 43 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Top with tomato, feta and dill; serve with lemon wedges.

GREEK SPINACH BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, spinach and feta cheese. Stir in the flour, pepper and salt. Add eggs and mix well. , Spoon into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 160°, about 1 hour.

GREEK EGG CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat another pan over medium heat. Cook spinach until heated through, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl until well combined and foamy. Add the onions, spinach, tomatoes, and feta cheese and stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into the prepared dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until eggs are set, 30 to 35 minutes.

MY BIG FAT GREEK EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• PREPARE EGGPLANT: Cut off the stem sections of 2 large fresh eggplants. Peel eggplant using a sharp vegetable peeler. Cut eggplants lengthwise in even 1/8" thick slices. Pour 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil into a large microwave-safe bowl. Mash 2 garlic cloves using a garlic press and add to oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper. Stir. Heat mixture in microwave about 30-45 seconds on high. Rub or brush the sliced eggplant with the oil mixture until lightly coated. Wipe the bowl clean with a paper towel and set aside. Arrange seasoned eggplant single-layer onto a flat-ridged or press-type grill on medium-high heat. When the eggplant has dark grill marks, turn and grill other side the same (skip turning eggplant if using a press-type grill). Allow eggplant to "sweat" until needed. Sprinkle, then pat, finished eggplant slices liberally using 1/2 cup powdered parmesan cheese.
• IN a large food processor, chop 1 large onion, 1 medium bell pepper, one handful pitted kalamata olives, 1 handful flat leaf parsley leaves, and 8-12 garlic cloves.
• HEAT 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; ADD the above chopped vegetables, 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper; SAUTE until meat is browned and vegetables have softened.
• ADD 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, 3/4 cup dry greek red wine, 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons greek honey, 1 1/4 teaspoons crushed dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/2 tablespoon ouzo or 1/4 teaspoon pure anise extract, 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried mint, 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper, 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, and 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese; STIR well; COVER; REDUCE heat; SIMMER for 45 minutes or longer (sauce will be thick); RE-SEASON sauce to taste with fine sea salt if needed (leave sauce just slightly under-salted since sauce will concentrate while baking).
• INTO the previously wiped large bowl, separate 4 large eggs, retaining the yolks in bowl (refrigerate egg whites sealed, for another use while fresh);.
• WHISK in 4 cups whole milk until smooth; ADD 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 level teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 pinch cayenne pepper; WHISK again until blended; SET aside.
• MELT 1/2 cup salted butter over medium heat; ADD 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and cook for just one minute; POUR milk and egg mixture all at once into roux while whisking constantly; CONTINUE whisking often until sauce thickens up and begins to bubble; REMOVE from heat; WHISK in 3/4 cup powdered parmesan cheese until smooth and glossy; COVER loosely with plastic wrap; BLEND 1/2 cup of the BECHAMEL into the fully-simmered SAUCE.
• PREHEAT oven to 350 F; OIL a 2-3 quart casserole dish with olive oil; SPREAD 1/2 (one half) of the EGGPLANT single-layer in bottom of baking dish; POUR the entire SAUCE mixture over top then smooth; ADD the remaining EGGPLANT over the SAUCE; POUR all of the BECHAMEL sauce over the eggplant; SMOOTH bechamel sauce. NOTE: YOU CAN SPRINKLE THE TOP OF CASSEROLE NOW LIGHTLY WITH GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE (PLUS MINCED FRESH PARSLEY IF DESIRED) OR YOU CAN GARNISH WHILE STILL HOT, JUST AFTER BAKING.
• BAKE for 1 hour; ALLOW to rest 20 minutes before slicing.
• SERVE and enjoy!

GREEK LAMB CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add the onion and garlic; cook stirring frequently until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add the eggplant and water; cook stirring frequently until eggplant is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cubed lamb and cook until longer pink, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 cup of mint, 1/2 cup of dill, salt and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes or until lamb is tender.
• While the lamb mixture is cooking, cook orzo according to package directions, drain.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, flour and egg whites.
• Stir the drained orzo into lamb mixture, spoon mixture into an 11 x 7 inch baking dish.
• Cover and bake 10 minutes; uncover spoon yogurt mixture on top, return to oven and bake until casserole is bubbly, about 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup mint and 1/4 cup dill on top of dish and serve.