In the "better late than never" category, I am posting this recipe!
Some years ago, I often participated in the Menu Plan Monday linkup at I’m an Organizing Junkie. Over the years, I've continued to plan menus, but have gotten away from taking the time to link up and post my menus. Maybe I need to get back to that!
Anyway, back in 2008 I had Meatless Moussaka on my menu plan at some point. And one of my readers, Kelli, had asked if I could tell her more about that dish. Yesterday, I was searching for something on my blog and up popped that menu plan, along with Kelli's comment. You can imagine that my face was red!
I have no idea if Kelli is still interested in this dish, but I will post the recipe now for her and/or anyone else who might be interested. It's the recipe I go to whenever eggplant is available at a good price.
If you already have a moussaka recipe you like, here's how to make it meatless. Omit the meat, obviously. Then make a mixture of 1 beaten egg, 1 cup cottage cheese, and 2 T. Parmesan cheese. In your 13x9 pan place half the sauce and half the prepared eggplant. Spread all of this cheese mixture over the eggplant. Then on top of cheese mixture, place the remaining prepared eggplant and then the remaining sauce, sprinkling between layers with additional Parmesan cheese. Bake as your recipe directs.
If you do not have a moussaka recipe or just want to try mine, here you go:
*MEATLESS MOUSSAKA
1 large eggplant, pared and cut into 1/2 inch slices (I often cut the eggplant slices in half or quarters, depending on how large they are)
Olive oil for brushing eggplant
Salt and pepper
1 jar spaghetti sauce -- you need about 2 1/3 cups (or, if you prefer to make your own sauce, see below)
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cottage cheese
2 T. Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
So, preheat your oven to broil. Then place the eggplant slices on a cookie sheet and brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil the slices for 5 minutes. Then turn them over, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil 5 minutes more.
Turn oven heat to 350ยบ. In a 9-inch square baking dish, place half the spaghetti sauce. Layer in half the eggplant. Mix the egg and cheeses together and spread over the eggplant. Sprinkle on additional Parmesan cheese. Layer remaining eggplant on top and spread remaining sauce over eggplant. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan and bake for 40 minutes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
(To make your own sauce, saute' 1 chopped onion and 1 minced clove of garlic in olive oil in a skillet. When tender, add 2 cups tomato sauce (16 ounces) plus a 6-ounce can of tomato paste. Add 1/2 tsp. oregano and 1 T. chopped fresh parsley if you have it. Heat to a simmer, then remove from heat and proceed with moussaka recipe as directed.)
* This recipe makes a 9-inch square baking dish of moussaka. If you need a larger quantity, just double the recipe and use a 13x9-inch pan. Enjoy!
This sounds wonderful! Seems like a very easy dish to prepare too! Hugs to you today dear friend!
ReplyDeleteIt is, very easy, Marilyn. We do eat a lot of meatless dishes. I wonder, have you ever seen the More-With-Less Cookbook? This is a Mennonite cookbook I have had for years and it is excellent. I think a gardening, frugal family like yours might find this a great resource. If you click the "book reviews" label in the label cloud, you will find this is the fourth post down. Or, you could copy and paste this link to learn more about the book. http://acrossmytable.blogspot.com/2006/08/about-more-with-less-cookbook.html. I have this cookbook available in my A-Store as well.
DeleteSounds good, except I want to put the meat back in and take the eggplant out. =D I have not heard of the dish Moussaka before. Again, I do live under a rock. (If it is any comfort, I look back on comments from time to time and realize that I have left a few behind as well. Yikes!)
ReplyDeleteThat is funny, Vee, take out the eggplant and put in the meat. The meat, in case you are wondering, would be a pound or less of ground beef (or lamb, to be truly authentic).
DeleteMoussaka is a Greek dish and has probably been around longer than you have. I think I have heard of people using sliced cooked potatoes instead of eggplant, but that wouldn't be as authentically Greek (I don't think). It's delicious with eggplant, though. Be brave and give it a try!
It is actually very comforting to me that you also have left a few comments behind. I try not to, but I guess I really need to go back in my older posts and check. There may be more than I think!