Vegetarian Mushroom Moussaka
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 small eggplants (about 1 pound each) peeled
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms stemmed and cut into 1/2in pieces
- 6 cloves garlic minced or pushed through a press
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
For the bechamel sauce:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 egg yolks
Instructions
- 1. Make the base and sauce: Preheat the oven to 400 F. and generously grease 2 large rimmed baking sheets with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil each. Slice 3 of the eggplants into 1/2‑inch-thick rounds. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the sheets, brush the tops generously with more oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake, flipping the eggplant pieces once, until softened and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 350 F.
- 2. Meanwhile, chop the remaining eggplant into 1/2‑in [12‑mm] cubes. Heat the 1/4 cup [60 ml] of oil in a large sauté pan set over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chopped eggplant and mushrooms, turn the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender and the liquid has cooked off, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, cinnamon and allspice and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Turn the heat to medium and simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.
- 3. Make the bechamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until fully combined, then slowly whisk in the milk. Simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in about half the Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of pepper. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle about 1/2 cup of the hot bechamel into the yolks. Turn the heat under the saucepan to medium-low and slowly whisk the tempered egg mixture back into the bechamel. Remove from the heat.
- 4. Assemble the moussaka: Grease the bottom of a 9-by-13‑inch baking dish. Layer half of the eggplant slices in the bottom of the baking dish and cover with half the sauce. Layer the remaining eggplant slices into the dish and cover with the remaining sauce. Evenly pour the bechamel over the top, smoothing with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
- 5. Bake until bubbling and golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot. Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serves 8-10.
Associated Women, LifeBridge Health and the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore will offer a virtual Healthy Holidays program on Sept. 1.
Pita bread is often stuffed with spiced, shaved shwarma meat or crunchy, deep-fried falafel. But my version of a pita sandwich is a hearty vegetarian alternative to a meat-stuffed pita, inspired by the anything-but-ordinary stuffed pita sandwiches of Miznon from iconic Israeli chef Eyal Shani. Eggplant is a common ingredient Read more
This recipe originally appeared on The Nosher. Pashtida -- a crustless quiche -- is beloved and common in Israel, where it is enjoyed at everything from potlucks, school events, shivas and everything in between. It’s also commonly prepared for Shavuot and Sukkot. The versatile dish transports well, and there is no right or wrong way to make Read more
This recipe was reprinted from Leah Koenig's "Little Book of Jewish Feasts, with permission by Chronicle Books.