moussaka

Lamb Moussaka Recipe

Moussaka is a great Greek Classic casserole dish

It combines lamb and eggplant to best advantage. And with all the Mediterranean flavors Moussaka is overlaid with, how can you miss?

The preparation of Moussaka has a reputation for being somewhat time-consuming,

I have streamlined the dish by roasting the eggplant

That’s right: roasting, as opposed to frying it, makes the dish quicker, lighter and every bit as delicious. Watch how fast your moussaka will disappear! Nothing beats a good lamb dish, and there’s no need to buy an expensive cut for moussaka, ground lamb is quite affordable. You can now enjoy the dairy free version of the classic, and share it with a crowd, as it tastes even better the next day. For a more dramatic presentation, choose 8 small eggplants, prepare the eggplant and the sauce as instructed, and assemble small individual moussaka servings in ramekins, layering in the order given.

Makes 10 ample servings.

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch thick
  • Vegetable spray
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 large onions, quartered
  • 12 large garlic cloves
  • 1 large bunch flat parsley
  • 1 large bunch mint, leaves only
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, tough stems discarded
  • 3 pounds lean ground lamb
  • 3 cups canned crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons curry
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons allspice
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • Ground pepper to taste
  • 1 cup vegan sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 oF.

Line 2 cookie sheets with foil. Spray heavily with vegetable spray. Arrange the eggplant slices and spray heavily again. Bake 20 minutes, or a little longer, until the eggplant slices are nicely brown, but no longer or they will dry out. Transfer the eggplant to a tray and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350*F.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet. In a food processor, coarsely grind the onion, garlic, parsley, mint and cilantro. Add the ground mixture to the oil, and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the lamb and cook 2-3 more minutes, breaking up the lamb as you go to make sure it gets evenly browned. Add the remaining ingredients and cook 2-3 more minutes.

Assemble the moussaka: Spray a 9x13 inch lasagna pan with vegetable spray. Cover with a layer of eggplant (use a third of the slices). Top with half the filling. Top with another third of the slices. Top with the rest of the filling. Top with the remaining slices. Spray the whole top with vegetable spray. Bake 35 minutes. Let the dish rest about 10 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve hot.

6 replies
  1. Ritika
    Ritika says:

    Hi Chef,I made this tonight. I think I ehteir used too much eggplant, or the pieces were too big. In a bit of a rush. Anyway, it was taking forever for them to cook so I broke them up and we had sloppy moussaka joes on the roll with the Parmesan spread. Oh my god. It was absolutely delicious. Big lamb fans here. Would you believe we even had one tomato left from our garden? (SF Bay Area) and we used it on the sloppy joes. Heaven. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lévana
      Lévana says:

      Judith, I’m looking in my recipe again to make sure I didn’t miss anything. What you are calling the sauce, in my instructions I am calling the filling. The instructions are complete, it’s all in:-)

  2. Judith
    Judith says:

    Your instructions don’t include usage of the tomatoes, spices and sour cream (the sauce, I assume)
    Could you include?

    Reply

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