Vegetarian Moussaka With Ricotta Topping Food

VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Char the eggplants over a gas burner, turning with tongs, 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool, then slice 1/2 inch thick.
• Arrange the eggplant slices on two baking sheets. Brush with olive oil on both sides and season with salt. Roast until golden and cooked through, 20 to 22 minutes. Set aside.
• Combine 6 cups water and the lentils in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• Fill a large wide pot with 1 inch of vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350˚ F or a piece of bread dropped in turns golden quickly. Working in batches, fry the potato slices a few at a time until golden but not too brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the potatoes to a rack to drain and season with salt.
• Make the lentil-tomato sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large wide pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to brown, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the cooled lentils and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, tomato paste, 1/2 cup water, the oregano, 2 teaspoons salt and 3 grinds of pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Make the béchamel: Combine the cinnamon stick, milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the nutmeg and set aside.
• In another saucepan, melt the remaining 1 stick butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, 3 to 5 minutes (do not let it brown). Slowly whisk in the heavy cream mixture, bring to a simmer and cook until thick and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes; remove from the heat. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then temper them by whisking in 1 cup of the béchamel; whisk the tempered egg mixture into the remaining béchamel. Season with salt and pepper and add the feta.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Oil an extra-large baking dish or roasting pan. Layer half of the eggplant in the bottom of the pan, then pour half of the lentil-tomato sauce on top, spreading it in an even layer. Top with a layer of half of the potatoes and then spread with half of the béchamel. Repeat the layers (eggplant, lentil-tomato sauce, potatoes, béchamel).
• Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. (If the top browns too quickly, cover with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.) Let cool, then cut into pieces.

VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Place eggplant on a baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until soft and golden, about 30 minutes, turning once.
• Boil potatoes 5 minutes until crisp tender.
• Combine Alfredo sauce, ricotta, eggs, and nutmeg in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese; set aside.
• Heat 2-3 T. olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion until it begins to soften (about 3 minutes). Add mushrooms and saute until soft (about 7 minutes). Add tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Lightly butter a 13x9 baking dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of the bread crumb mixture on bottom; add the potatoes as the next layer. Cover with half the eggpalnt and half the mushroom/onion mixture. Repeat layers with 1/3 of the bread crumbs, remaining eggplant, and remaining mushroom mixture.
• Pour egg mixture over all and top with the remaining bread crumb mixture. Bake for 45 minutes (1 hour if made ahead) or until top is golden. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat.
• Sauté onion 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in mushrooms and zucchini and sauté 2 minutes.
• Stir in next 6 ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• Turn on broiler.
• Arrange eggplant slices on an oiled broiler rack. Broil 3-4 minutes per side until browned. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce by scalding milk in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat until tiny bubbles appear.
• Remove from heat.
• Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until just bubbling. Do not brown. Slowly whisk in the flour, stirring constantly until smooth. Do not brown.
• Slowly whisk in hot milk, followed by half of the mozzarella cheese, stirring constantly 2-3 minutes until mixture is thickened.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in seasonings and set aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat oven to 400°F in a fan oven or slightly higher in a normal oven.
• Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and sprinkle the bottom with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs.
• Place a layer of eggplant in the pan. Spread a layer of tomato mixture over top. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and some mozzarella cheese.
• Repeat layering as long as ingredients last.
• Pour the sauce over the top and bake 30-40 minutes, or until top is golden.
• Transfer moussaka to a wire rack and let stand 15-20 minutes before slicing.

MOUSSAKA WITH HALLOUMI AND RICOTTA CHEESE TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350°F.
• Slice the eggplant into 1cm slices. Brush with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes until soft.
• Chop the onion finely and fry until soft. Add the garlic and mince. Brown the mince. Add the tomatoes, basil (shredded) and some seasoning. Simmer to reduce the tomatoes to a thick sauce.
• To make the topping, grate the halloumi cheese into a bowl. Add the ricotta, flour and the egg yolks. Add a little milk if the mixture is too thick.
• Beat the egg whites until they reach the soft peak stage (not stiff peaks). Season the egg and cheese mixture and then fold in the egg white, being careful not to knock all the air out of the egg white.
• To assemble the dish, put half the meat mixture in an ovenproof dish. Add a layer of eggplant, the rest of the meat and another layer of eggplant. Pour the egg and cheese topping over the top and bake until the topping is risen and golden (about 20 to 30 minutes).
• This can also be made with beef mince or brown lentils and carrots for a vegetarian version.

VEGETARIAN MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Boil spinach for one minute, drain and reserve the liquid.
• Put 450 ml of the water into a pan and add the lentils.
• Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tbs of oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and garlic for about 10 minutes until soft and golden.
• Stir the mushrooms into the onions, increase the heat and season generously.
• Cook until juicy and darkened in colour.
• Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook briskly for 5 minutes until thickened but still quite liquid.
• Add the lentils and any cooking liquid, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cumin.
• Simmer gently for a few minutes.
• Squeeze all the liquid out of the spinach and stir it into the pan.
• Add a little water if the stew seems too dry.
• Boil the potatoes in salted water, drain, cool slightly and slice lengthways.
• Pre-heat the oven to 400 F or 200 degrees C.
• Trim the eggplant and slice lengthways about 1/2 cm thick.
• Smear a baking sheet with remaining oil, lay out the slices.
• Bake for 15 minutes, turn and cook the other side for a further 5 minutes until soft.
• Reduce the temperature to 360 F or 180 degrees C.
• Take a 2-litre capacity dish at least 5 cm deep and make a layer with half the potatoes, then half the eggplant, followed by the mushroom mixture, the rest of the eggplant and the rest of the potatoes.
• To make the topping, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and gradually add the milk and bring it to the boil.
• Simmer for a few minutes, add the parmesan and the ricotta mixed with the egg.
• Remove from the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Pour the sauce over the moussaka and dust with nutmeg.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is set and golden.