Moussaka

I have only recently been exposed to real Greek food. We went to a Greek restaurant called Greek Islands when we were in Chicago, and I loved it. It was unlike anything I’ve ever eaten before…the flavors, textures were new to me, and the atmosphere was so great. Kevin found the recipe for Moussaka in the Joy of Cooking and immediately wanted to make it. The first thing to note about this recipe is that it takes a long time. It’s better for a weekend meal, but we made it on a weeknight and therefore had a really late dinner. It’s a good thing that Kevin loves to make salads and other appetizers, because we were really hungry by the time dinner finally rolled around.  The second thing we’ll note about this recipe is that when we made it, we sliced the eggplant crosswise, not lengthwise. I read the recipe at least 10 times before making it (let’s be real, I’m super anal retentive when it comes to trying new things), and some how missed the comment of slicing lengthwise. The moussaka still tasted great, but it was really soupy because the eggplant held far more liquid than it should have.

Usually when we cook with eggplant, we salt it and let it sit for a while, but never as long as what’s requested in the recipe. We made sure to do that this time, and we were surprised by how much liquid was released by the eggplant slices.

As the eggplant was sitting in it’s salt, we made the sauce. We used beef because we had some in the freezer, but when we make this again we would really like to use lamb. Once the meat was browned, we removed the rendered fat and added chopped onions. After the onions were tender, we added tomatoes, garlic, and a variety of spices.

We also added tomato paste; we used the stuff in the tube, which we’ve never done before. The sauce was immediately fragrant and smelled just like a Greek meal. The sauce simmered for 45 minutes until very thick. Just as the sauce was finishing up, we rinsed, dried, oiled, then broiled the eggplant.

We added parsley and one egg to the sauce just before layering it between two layers of eggplant in a gratin dish (Thanks, Mom!). The dish baked in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. While it baked, we made the sauce for the top. The Joy version is different from traditional moussaka because it doesn’t use a bechamel sauce; instead a mix of yogurt and eggs is used. After 30 minutes, we poured the sauce over the top, topped the sauce with some Parmesan cheese, and the moussaka baked for 30 more minutes until it was golden.

Our moussaka turned out pretty liquidy. We think this may have been because the sauce didn’t simmer long enough or the eggplant could have sat salted for more time. Also, we sliced the eggplant crosswise, not lengthwise. But it was a weeknight, and like I said, the moussaka was delicious. The flavors were very reminiscent of our dining out experience in Chicago. If only we had some saganaki to go with it. Opa!

Moussaka
from the Joy of Cooking

For the filling:
2 large eggplant (2-2 1/2 pounds)
1 pound ground beef
Salt and pepper
2 T. Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, with their juice
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 t. sweet paprika
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. ground allspice
1/2 t. sugar
1 bay leaf
1/2 c. hot water
1/2 c. chopped parsley
1 large egg

For the topping:
4 large eggs
1 1/4 c. plain yogurt (preferably Greek)
a pinch of paprika
Salt and pepper
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated

Slice eggplant lengthwise, about 1/3 inch thick. Salt the slices generously and place on a baking sheet. Let stand for 30 minutes to an hour.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown the beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add olive oil and onion and cook for 5 minutes until the onion are tender. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about one minute. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, spices, and hot water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick and fragrant. Cook uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the liquid is gone. Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, and adjust the seasonings. Let cool slightly, then stir in the egg and chopped parsley. Set sauce aside while you cook the eggplant.

Preheat the broiler and brush two baking sheets with olive oil. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry. Place them on the baking sheets and brush with olive oil. Place one sheet under the broiler at a time, 2 inches from the heating element. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the slices are slightly browned and softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 3 quart baking dish or gratin dish. Make an even layer of half the eggplant in the bottom of the dish and spread the sauce all over the eggplant. Top with the remaining eggplant and bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the egg topping. Beat eggs, yogurt, paprika, salt, and pepper together. Pour over the eggplant and top with parmesan cheese. Return to the oven and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until golden. Serve warm.