Quick Moussaka Recipes

A VERY QUICK MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• First of all, mix the red wine, tomato purée, cinnamon and mint together in a bowl, then add the contents of the tin of lamb. Mix all of this together thoroughly with a seasoning of salt and pepper. Next, empty the contents of the pack of ratatouille into a sieve then, using the back of a tablespoon, squeeze out as much excess juice as possible. Next the topping: all you do here is whisk the ricotta cheese and the cheese sauce together, then beat the eggs and add them to the sauce with some seasoning of salt and pepper and a few good gratings of nutmeg, then whisk the whole lot together thoroughly. Now, in a baking dish (approx. 7½ inch/19cm square x 2inch/5 cm deep), spread out half the meat mixture over the base, then over that spoon the drained ratatouille. Add the rest of the meat mixture, spreading it evenly, then spread the ricotta sauce mixture over that. Finally, sprinkle the Parmesan over the surface and bake on a high shelf in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. How to Cheat Hero Ingredients 1 x 425g tin Marks & Spencer minced lamb 1 x 300g pack Marks & Spencer ratatouille

EASY MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 355F/180C. Lay the eggplant/aubergine slices on large baking trays and brush each side with a little olive oil. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the slices are soft.
• Meanwhile, make your meat sauce. Heat a little olive oil in a large saucepan, then cook the onion for a few minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon & oregano and cook for a minute longer.
• Add the meat to the pan and brown while breaking up with a wooden spoon.
• Add the tomato puree, water and wine. Simmer the sauce until it has thickened (about 30 minutes).
• Stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
• To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the flour until you have a paste.
• Take off the heat, then stir in the milk little by little.
• Put the pan back on the heat and stir until the sauce has thickened and is just bubbling. Add most of the cheese and the nutmeg.
• Let cool for about five minutes, then whisk in the eggs.
• Divide the eggplant/aubergine slices into 3. Take the first pile and line the bottom of a 12 x 9 inch baking dish with them. Top with half of the meat sauce.
• Add another layer of eggplant/aubergine slices, and then the rest of the meat sauce.
• Add a final layer of eggplant/aubergine, then pour over the bechamel sauce. Smooth it with a spatula, then sprinkle over the rest of the cheese.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes (at 355F/180C) or until the top is golden and bubbling (cover it with aluminium foil if it gets too dark). Leave to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before serving (so that the pieces stay together when you cut and serve them).

QUICK MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas5.
• Slice the aubergines then fry them on both sides in a large pan with a little olive oil. Drain on kitchen paper. To save on washing up, use the same pan with a little more olive oil and fry off the onions and garlic.
• After five minutes turn the heat up and add the lamb to brown it, then add the tomatoes. Add a good pinch of cumin and cinnamon with the wine and sauté together to break up the tomatoes. Add the chopped mint and the stock in stages.
• In an ovenproof dish, layer the aubergines and lamb mince in a few layers, finishing with a layer of aubergines.
• Combine the white sauce with the eggs, nutmeg and seasoning. Spoon over the top of the mince and then scatter with the grated cheese.
• Bake in the oven 20-25minutes to colour the cheese and cook through.
• Serve.

SHORTCUT MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and chopped onion and cook until beef is brown, breaking up beef with fork, about 15 minutes. Mix in tomato sauce, red wine, parsley, crumbled oregano and ground cinnamon. Simmer until mixture thickens and is almost dry, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Boil until thick, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Beat eggs in small bowl to blend. Whisk small amount of milk mixture into eggs. Return mixture to saucepan. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Remove custard from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Season custard to taste with salt and pepper.
• Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange half of eggplant in bottom of dish. Season with salt and pepper. Spread meat mixture over. Top with remaining eggplant. Pour hot custard cheese sauce over eggplant. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover loosely with foil and bake 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking until golden and bubbling on edges, about 10 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes.

MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Drain yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined sieve until thickened, 2 hours or overnight.
• Place turkey in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add onion, garlic, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to saucepan; cook until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Return turkey to saucepan with tomatoes, tomato paste, and oregano. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium low; simmer until sauce has thickened, about 1 hour. Remove from heat; stir in chopped parsley; set aside.
• Preheat broiler. While sauce cooks, cut eggplants into 1/4-inch slices. Sprinkle with salt on both sides. Place in a colander over a bowl; let stand 1 hour to drain. Discard liquid; rinse each slice under cold running water to remove all salt and juice. Place slices on several layers of paper towels; press out water. Lay dry slices on a clean baking sheet; coat with olive-oil spray; broil until browned, about 2 minutes. Turn; coat with olive-oil spray; broil until browned, about 2 minutes more. Repeat until all eggplant slices have been broiled; set cooked eggplant aside.
• Place drained yogurt in a small bowl. Add Parmesan and eggs. Whisk together briskly with a fork; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Assemble moussaka: Place a layer of eggplant on the bottom of an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Cover with half the turkey sauce. Place another eggplant layer, then the remaining turkey sauce.Add a final eggplant layer; cover with reserved yogurt mixture. Bake until mixture is bubbling and top starts to brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a heat-proof surface; let sit until moussaka cools slightly and firms, about 10 minutes. Cut into squares; serve.

MOUSSAKA

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).