Best 6 Moussaka Style Stuffed Eggplant Aubergine Recipes

MOUSSAKA: EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Salt the eggplant. Spread the eggplant slices in one layer and sprinkle with salt. Let set for 30 minutes to "sweat out" its bitterness.
• Turn the broiler of your oven on.
• Prepare a large sheet pan or two and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Pat the eggplant slices dry, removing excess salt, and assemble in one layer on the prepared pan. Brush generously with olive oil.
• Place the sheet pan about 6 inches away from the broiler. Broil the eggplant briefly, turning over so that both sides are softened and golden brown (do not worry if parts of the eggplant are slightly charred, but watch carefully so it doesn't burn). Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Prepare the meat sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet. Cook the onions on medium heat until they turn slightly golden brown, stirring regularly (about 5 minutes). Now add the ground lamb. Cook the lamb until fully browned, tossing regularly. Drain the lamb from any excess fat and return to the skillet. Add the dried oregano, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and hot paprika. Stir to coat the meat with the spices. Add the wine and boil for 1 minute to reduce. Stir in the canned tomatoes, sugar, and broth. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees F and work on the bechamel.
• Make the bechamel. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden (if needed, added a little more olive oil). Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking continuously. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the nutmeg. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of the hot bechamel mixture with the 2 eggs. Then return all to the pan and stir into the bechamel mixture. Continue to stir or whisk the mixture bringing to a gentle boil for just 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat and allow to cool and thicken a little more. (You should have a creamy, thick and smooth bechamel sauce.)
• Assemble the moussaka. When ready, lightly oil a 9 ½" x 13" oven-safe baking dish. Layer half the eggplant slices on the bottom. Add the meat sauce and spread well. Add the remaining eggplant slices. Pour the bechamel on top and spread to cover all the eggplant, then sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
• Bake. Bake the moussaka casserole on the center rack of the heated oven for 45 minutes. If you need to, transfer the baking pan to the top rack and broil briefly so that the top of the moussaka gains a nice golden brown color (watch carefully).
• Remove from the heat and let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before cutting through into squares to serve. Enjoy!

NO EGGPLANT MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and parsley until onion is soft and translucent. Increase heat, add lamb, and cook until evenly brown. Drain excess fat, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Chop tomatoes, and mix well with seasonings. Set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Whisk together milk and egg, then gradually whisk into flour mixture. Cook, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in grated cheese.
• In casserole dish, place 1/3 of potato slices on the bottom, covering as well as possible. Top with half of meat mixture followed by half of tomato mixture. Repeat layers, ending with a layer of potatoes. Spread cheese sauce evenly over the top.
• Cover, and bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove cover, and bake 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

TRADITIONAL MOUSSAKA RECIPE WITH EGGPLANTS (AUBERGINES) AND POTATOES

Steps:

• To prepare this Greek moussaka recipe, begin by preparing the eggplants. Remove the stalks from the eggplants and cut them into slices, 1 cm thick. Season with salt and place in a colander for about half an hour.
• and squeeze with your hands, to get rid of the excessive water. Pat them dry and fry in plenty of oil, until nicely colored. Place the fried eggplants on some paper, in order to absorb the oil. (For a lighter version of the traditional Greek moussaka try drizzling the aubergines with some olive oil and bake them for 20 minutes instead of frying them). Set aside when done.
• If you are adding potatoes to your moussaka, now its time to slice them into 0.5cm, half a finger width slices. Fry them or bake them in the same way as the eggplants. Season with some salt and set them aside when done.
• for the moussaka. Heat a large pan to medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the chopped onions and sauté, until softened and slightly colored. Stir in the mince breaking it up with a wooden spoon and sauté. When it starts to brown, add the the garlic and tomato paste and sauté until the garlic starts to soften. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the meat juices and wait to evaporate. Add the tinned tomatoes, the sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, 1 bay leaf and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for about 30 minutes or until most of the juices have evaporated. Set aside when done.
• for the moussaka. Use a large pan to melt the butter over low-medium heat. Add the flour whisking continuously to make a paste. Add warmed milk in a steady stream; keep whisking in order to prevent your sauce from getting lumpy. If the sauce still needs to thicken, boil over low heat while continuing to stir. Its consistency should resemble a thick cream.
• Remove the béchamel pan from the stove and stir in the egg yolks, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and the most of the grated cheese. Reserve some cheese to sprinkle on top! Whisk quickly, in order to prevent the eggs from turning an omelette! Season with salt to taste. Take one spoon full of béchamel and stir it in the meat sauce. Set the béchamel sauce aside.
• Now its time to assemble the moussaka. For this moussaka recipe you will need a large baking dish, approx. 20x30cm / 8x12inch and 8cm/3 inch deep). Butter the bottom and sides of the pan and layer the potatoes first (if you're using them), then half the eggplants. Pour in all of the meat sauce and spread it out evenly. Add a second layer of eggplants, top with all of the béchamel sauce and smooth out with a spatula.
• . Preheat you oven at 180C/350F and bake your musaka for about 60 minutes or until its crust turns light golden brown. Even though it will be really hard to do so, you should wait for the moussaka to cool down and be just warm to the touch before cutting into pieces. This will prevent the béchamel sauce from pouring out when you're cutting your pieces.
• Serve the Moussaka with a refreshing Traditional Greek Salad and enjoy over a glass of wine!

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown the onion.
• Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg.
• When the meat is cooked, add the tomato paste and water (you can dissolve the tomato paste in water before adding it to the meat mixture).
• Fry the eggplants slices until golden brown on each side, set aside on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• Line the oven pan with one layer of the fried eggplant slices, add a meat mixture layer, sprinkle with almonds/pine nuts , and raisins, then add a final layer of eggplant slices.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) MOUSSAKA

Steps:

• Peel eggplants.
• Slice into rounds 1/2-inch thick.
• Sprinkle both sides generously with salt.
• Place in deep bowl; Cover with cold water.
• Place dinner plate on top to keep slices submerged; let set 1 hour at room temperature.
• When ready to use, thoroughly rinse and drain.
• Saute meat in butter until color is gone.
• Add onion.
• Cook until soft.
• Drain off fat.
• Mix in tomato paste, water, parsley, allspice and pepper.
• Simmer, uncovered, until liquid is absorbed.
• Cool 30 minutes.
• Beat eggs to a froth.
• Stir into meat.
• Add parmesan, 3 tablespoons.
• breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
• Butter a 13"x9"x2" baking dish.
• Sprinkle remaining bread crumbs on bottom.
• Arrange one third of eggplant slices over crumbs.
• Cover with half of meat mixture.
• Add another layer of eggplant and the remaining meat.
• Top with eggplant slices.
• Pour Moussaka Sauce over all.
• Bake in 375 degree oven for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven.
• Allow to stand 10 minutes.
• Cut into squares.
• Serve with a big tossed salad.
• Moussaka Sauce: Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir in flour until absorbed.
• Remove from heat.
• Slowly stir in milk.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Beat eggs 5 minutes.
• Add a small amount of sauce to eggs.
• Stir egg mixture back into sauce.
• Add remaining ingredients.

MUSHROOM STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Halve the eggplant lengthwise. With a serrated spoon or a knife, scoop out pulp of eggplant, leaving about a 1/2" shell.
• Place shells on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes.
• While eggplant shells are in oven, finely chop the eggplant pulp.
• In a pan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add eggplant pulp, onion, parsley, salt, oregano, garlic and mushrooms. Cover and sauté, stirring occasionally, until eggplant pulp and mushroom are tender -- about 10 minutes or so.
• Stir in parmesan cheese and HALF of the breadcrumbs.
• Turn oven down to 350°F Remove eggplant shells.
• Spoon mixture into eggplant shells.
• Mix remaining half of breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle over filled eggplant.
• Place filled eggplant shells back in the oven bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.