Christina’s Vegetarian Moussaka
This recipe is truly a labour of love – in two ways – it’s a recipe requiring lengthy preparation and a recipe that signifies the love and admiration shared between two friends – Christina and Jacqui. Greeks are known for showing their love and appreciation of family and friends, by preparing and sharing their food – and Christina is a shining example of this. In this instance, she has modified her own moussaka recipe (traditionally made with meat sauce) into a vegetarian one, so that she can make it and share it with her close friend Jacqui and Jacqui’s husband, Shimon – both vegetarians. This moussaka is rich in flavour and texture and is truly satiating and comforting – it’s an absolute feast in a slice – and the ultimate expression of love. Show your love for your friends and family by making this sensational moussaka and sharing it with them today!
Ingredients
Vegetable sauce
1 kg eggplants
1 bunch mint washed
1 bunch parsley washed
3 large brown onions
6 cloves garlic
1 kg mushrooms 500g to be processed finely and 500g to be sliced and both added to vegetable sauce
1.2 kg extra ripe tomatoes stalks removed
2.5 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoon pepper
1.5 soup spoon oregano
1 cup olive oil extra virgin
80 g kefalogavriera cheese grated for
salt
Vegetables for layering
1 kg eggplants
1 kg zucchini
2 kg potatoes peeled
olive oil extra virgin
Béchamel sauce
1.5 litres full fat milk
4 eggs
50 g butter
1-1.5 teaspoons salt
185 g self-raising flour sifted
300 g kefalogavriera cheese
Preparation
Watch the full recipe video below. Subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the Subscribe link on the video
Prepare the vegetable sauce…
Peel the eggplants; cut them into large chunks; place them in a water bath; and set them aside
Coarsely chop the herbs and chop the onions into large chunks
Place the herbs, onions and garlic in a food processor and pulse them until they look as though they have been finely chopped. (Do not over-process them, as they will have a mushy texture) Place them in a large pot
Place half of the mushrooms in the food processor and again pulse them until they look as though they have been finely chopped.
Add them to the pot
Slice the remaining mushrooms to about ¼ – ½cm in thickness. Add them to the pot
In small batches, remove the eggplants from the water bath; pat them dry; place them in the food processor; and process them using a pulsing action till they appear finely chopped. Add them to the pot
Coarsely chop the tomatoes; puree them in the food processor; and set them aside
Place the pot on medium to high heat, add and stir through the EVOO, salt, pepper and oregano
Sautee the vegetables until they reduce and brown a little
Add and stir through the tomato puree. Bring the ingredients to a ‘boil’ and then immediately reduce them to a simmer. Continue to simmer the vegetable sauce, occasionally checking and stirring the pot, until all the fluids in the pot have reduced
Prepare the vegetables for layering…
Top and tail the eggplants; slice them lengthways to ½cm in thickness; place them in a fresh water bath; and set them aside
Top and tail the zucchini and slice them lengthways to ½cm in thickness
Slice the potatoes lengthways to ½cm in thickness
Remove the eggplant slices from the water bath and pat them dry
Place a fry pan (or two) on medium to high heat and add ½ – 1cm of EVOO
Place the eggplants, zucchini and potatoes in turn in the fry pan(s) in a single layer
Lightly brown the vegetable slices on one side; turn them over and brown them on the other side; and then remove them from the fry pan and place them on a platter lined with absorbent paper. (The vegetable slices do not need to cook all the way through.)
Add more oil to the fry pan as you go, as the vegetable slices absorb oil as they fry and reduce the amount in the pan
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the vegetable sauce as it’s reducing
Assemble the moussaka…
Place a single layer of potato slices across the base of a deep baking dish; lightly season them with salt; and cover them sparingly with the grated cheese
Spoon about a quarter of the vegetable sauce evenly on top
Add a single layer of zucchini slices to the baking dish; lightly season these with salt; and cover them sparingly with the grated cheese too
Spoon about a quarter of the original amount of vegetable sauce evenly on top again
Add a single layer of eggplant slices to the baking dish; lightly season these with salt; cover them sparingly with the grated cheese; and spoon vegetable sauce evenly on top, just as before
Place the remaining mixed vegetable slices in a single layer in the baking dish; season them with salt; sprinkle them with the remaining cheese; and spoon the remaining sauce on top
Set the baking dish aside
Prepare the béchamel sauce…
Place a large, deep pot on medium heat and add the milk, eggs, butter and salt
Gently stir
Once the butter has melted, add the flour
Continuously stir the mixture until it thickens evenly
Add the grated cheese and mix it through
Pour and spread the béchamel sauce evenly on top of the moussaka
Baking the Moussaka
Bake the moussaka at 170°C for about an hour
Keep an eye on it as it bakes; if any areas over-brown, just place a piece of foil on top of that area
Serving the Moussaka
Ideally you should allow the moussaka to rest for an hour or more before serving so that all the layers firm up and you are able to serve it as a regularly shaped slice. The flavours will also have a chance to better come together
If you don’t have the time or the patience to wait, just go for it and enjoy!
