Eggplant Musaka Recipes

Steps:

• Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground beef, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the beef is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, fines herbs and parsley. Pour in the tomato sauce and wine, and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool, and then stir in beaten egg.
• To make the bechamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the meat. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
• Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Steps:

• Place the eggplant slices in a large bowl and cover with water. Add 1/2 cup of salt and agitate gently to combine. Let stand for 20 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
• While the eggplant is soaking, heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet and, working in batches, add the potato slices and cook until lightly golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper-lined plate to drain and repeat with any remaining potato slices. Season lightly with salt.
• Place 1 cup of the flour in a bowl and dredge the eggplant slices in the flour. Shake to remove any excess flour. Add 1/4 cup of the remaining oil to the skillet and, working in batches, fry the eggplant slices until golden on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add more oil to the skillet as needed in 1/4 cup increments. Repeat until all eggplant has been cooked. Transfer to a paper-lined plate to drain.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and, when melted, add the onions. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the ground meats, garlic, and oregano and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, until meat is browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the red wine and cook until evaporated. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, water and parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all liquid is evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and, when hot, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring until smooth and thick. Season with salt, to taste, and whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese and set aside, covered, while you assemble the casserole.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and place the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Top with half of the eggplant slices and half of the meat sauce. Spoon 3/4 cup of the bechamel sauce evenly over the meat sauce and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Top with the remaining eggplant slices, pressing down on the layers gently with your hands to compress. Top with the remaining meat sauce and then spread the remaining bechamel sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on the top and heated throughout, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand for at least 40 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Steps:

• Mix the eggplant and 2 tablespoons of the salt in a large bowl. Arrange the eggplant in a perforated pan and put in the refrigerator to drain the moisture, about 20 minutes.
• Put 5 cups of the oil in a heavy-bottom pot and heat to 350 degrees F. Add the flour to a large bowl and dredge the eggplant in the flour; in a separate bowl, whisk 5 eggs until combined. Dip a few pieces of the floured eggplant in the eggs, shake off any excess and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet set with a cooling rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
• Heat a large skillet with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and saute until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ground beef, black pepper and remaining 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the ground beef is brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 10 3/8-by-12 3/4-by-6-inch pan with oil.
• Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of fried eggplant and top with some of the ground beef mixture. Repeat the layering process 4 more times with the eggplant then the ground beef, and top with a final layer of eggplant. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Whisk the milk and remaining 5 eggs in a bowl, pour over the hot musaka and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes more. Cut into 12 pieces and serve on top of marinara sauce or Greek yogurt.

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate.
• Brush eggplant, potatoes, and zucchini lightly with extra-virgin olive oil. Grill vegetables until just tender and golden brown. Layer potatoes into the bottom of a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Next layer in the eggplant, followed by the zucchini; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook until the flour smells slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Whisk in milk, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Place the egg yolk into a bowl, and quickly whisk in 1/4 cup of the thickened milk, a tablespoon at a time. Quickly stir the egg yolk mixture into the thickened milk until smooth, then set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the ground beef and onion, and cook until the beef is crumbly and no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease, then stir in the oregano, parsley, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Turn heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• To assemble, spread the meat mixture over the vegetables, and sprinkle with the feta cheese. Pour the white sauce overtop, and smooth with a spatula.
• Bake moussaka in preheated oven until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch eggplant slices in the boiling water for 1 minute. Rinse slices under cold water, then drain on paper towels.
• Blanch tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 minute. Rinse in cold water, then remove skins. Cut tomatoes into quarters and remove and discard the cores. Chop tomatoes coarsely.
• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add lentils and tomato paste; sauté briefly. Add vegetable broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes, zucchini, savory, cinnamon, and cumin. Cover, increase heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 more minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Pour 1/2 of the lentil mixture into the bottom of a large oven-proof dish. Cover with 1/2 of the eggplant slices. Pour remaining lentil mixture over top and cover with remaining eggplant slices.
• Mash feta cheese with a fork; mix with yogurt and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Spread over the eggplant layer.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes.