Yai Yais Moussaka Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange potato and eggplant slices in 2 greased 15x10x1-in. baking pans, overlapping as needed. Bake until cooked through, 20 minutes. Set aside; reduce oven setting to 400°., In a large skillet, cook lamb, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, 7-9 minutes, breaking into crumbles; drain. Stir in tomatoes, water, tomato paste, 1/4 teaspoon salt, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes., In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg., Arrange par-cooked potatoes in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, overlapping as needed. Top with lamb mixture. Arrange eggplant over top, overlapping as needed. , Top with bechamel sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Bake the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.
• Make the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Break the meat up into small pieces and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until just cooked but still slightly pink inside, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.
• Make the custard sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Return to the heat and while whisking constantly, bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir to cool. When the sauce is cool, whisk in the egg and yolks.
• Assemble the moussaka. Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with the oil. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Cover with half of the meat sauce and smooth with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and meat sauce. Pour the custard sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the Pecorino Romano and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and the custard is set, about 1 hour.
• Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve.

Steps:

• Layers:.
• Preheat oven to ''Broil''.
• Wash eggplants and potatoes (peel). Cut lengthwise down the middle, then into ½ inch slices.
• Sprinkle salt on both sides of the eggplant and potato slices.
• Coat 2 baking trays with olive oil (one for each vegetable because potatoes will cook faster than the eggplant).
• Use paper towels to pat the salt absorbed moisture from the eggplant and potato slices (I suggest leaving a little moisture on the potatoes because they tend to dry out).
• Coat eggplant and potato slices with olive oil and place in oven until browned (light to medium). Flip and repeat.
• Coat a non-stick 9 x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
• Cover the bottom with your eggplant slices (potatoes will be used later).
• Set oven to 350°F.
• Beef:.
• In a saucepan, add olive oil, beef, and preferred amount of onion.
• Cook until beef is brown and the onion is tender.
• Drain excess fluid.
• Add garlic, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Very important: taste after mixing and adjust ingredients accordingly (some people might like a little more of a kick).
• Heavy Construction:.
• Pour enough beef mixture to cover eggplant.
• Layer with the potato slices.
• Cover with beef.
• Layer with eggplant slices.
• Make all the layers you can! Have fun with it, but remember to leave enough room for the cream sauce! Set aside.
• Cream Sauce:.
• Melt butter in saucepan.
• Stir in flour, salt, nutmeg, and white pepper.
• Remove from heat and slowly stir in milk.
• Return to heat until slightly thickened.
• In a small bowl beat the eggs and additional yolk.
• Temper the eggs by adding a bit of the hot mixture (If you don't do this the eggs will instantly cook when they are added to the mixture).
• Over low heat: slowly add eggs to mixture. Mix well.
• *** Pour sauce over layers and sprinkle the cheeses.
• *** Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to an hour (whenever the sauce is brown).
• *** Let the moussaka cool (until room temperature) before refrigeration.

Steps:

• For the lamb: Soak the currants in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the lamb, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cayenne, and salt and pepper and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a large strainer set over a bowl and drain; discard any liquid left in the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the serrano and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
• Return the lamb to the pan, add the wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and currants and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and oregano and season with salt and pepper and honey, if needed. Remove from the heat.
• For the eggplant: Heat the canola oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Season the eggplant slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices and fry until tender and lightly golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant slices to paper towels.
• For the bechamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until pale and smooth, 2 minutes. Still whisking constantly, add the milk and bay leaf and cook until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and discard the bay leaf. Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, goat cheese, and lemon zest and whisk into the bechamel sauce until smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish or casserole dish.
• To assemble: Put half the eggplant slices in the dish and cover with half the meat sauce. Top the sauce with the remaining eggplant slices, and then the remaining meat sauce. Pour the bechamel over the top of the meat sauce and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle Romano evenly over the top, place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake until browned and bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. Top with more chopped parsley, if desired. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees with racks positioned in the middle and lower third. Slice eggplants lengthwise, about 1/3 inch thick. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and brush foil with olive oil. Place slices on the foil, season to taste with salt, and brush with olive oil. Place in oven and roast until soft and browned in spots, about 20 minutes, switching the pans top to bottom after 10 minutes. When done slices will look dry on the surface but when you pierce them with a knife you should be able to see that the flesh is soft. Remove from oven and carefully fold foil up over eggplant to make a foil packet, taking care not to burn yourself. It doesn't matter if the eggplant slices pile onto each other. Crimp edges of foil so that eggplant is sealed in the packet and leave to steam inside foil for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile make the meat and tomato filling. In a large, deep skillet or casserole heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and raise heat to medium-high. Stir in ground beef or lamb and brown for about 3 minutes. Stir in roasted mushroom mix, tomatoes, paprika, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, sugar, bay leaf, salt and enough water to barely cover meat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick and very fragrant. Cook uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes, until liquid in pan is just about gone. Remove bay leaf, taste and add salt and pepper, and remove from heat. Allow mixture to cooled slightly, then stir in 1 beaten egg and parsley.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 3-quart baking dish or gratin dish. Make an even layer of half the eggplant slices over the bottom, and spread all of meat sauce on top in one layer. Top with remaining eggplant. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat together eggs and yogurt, season with salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and stir in pepper and paprika. Pour over top of moussaka, scraping out every last drop with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over the top. Return to oven and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Heat a frying pan over a high heat. Drizzle 4 tbsp of the oil over the slices of aubergine and fry them in several batches for 5-7 mins or until golden brown and beginning to soften. If they look a little dry during cooking, add a dash more olive oil. Set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the mince and fry for 8-10 mins until a deep golden brown, regularly stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon. Tip into a bowl and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the casserole. Tip in the onion along with a pinch of salt and fry gently for 10-12 mins or until softened and turning translucent. Add the garlic, oregano, cinnamon, chilli and bay cooking for a further min. Return the lamb to the pan and pour in the red wine, bring to a bubble and reduce the wine by half. Stir through the tomatoes, tomato purée and brown sugar, along with 200ml water. Season. Lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 mins, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened.
• Heat oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 4. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the potato slices and cook for 6 mins, drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for 10 mins.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the flour and cook over a medium heat for 1 min. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, pouring in a bit at a time, until smooth. Return to the heat and bring to a simmer, cooking for 3 mins. Remove from the heat and whisk through the parmesan, a little grated nutmeg and some seasoning, and finally the whole egg as well as the yolk.
• Take a large rectangular ovenproof dish. Spoon a third of the meat into the dish and spread out evenly, followed by half the aubergine and half the potato, then the rest of the meat and another layer of aubergines, followed by potatoes. Finish with the béchamel, smoothing the top over with a palette knife. Put in the centre of the oven and cook for 50 mins or until deep golden brown. If it browns too much during cooking, cover the dish. Set aside for 10 mins to cool before serving.