MOUSSAKA WITH ROASTED MUSHROOMS
Yield: Serves 8 generously
This takes quite some time but it's delicious!
Ingredients
For the Eggplant
2 to 2½ pounds (3 medium or 2 large) eggplant
Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the Mushroom, Meat and Tomato Filling
1 pound minced or ground lamb or lean beef
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 to 4 large garlic cloves, minced (to taste)
½ pound roasted mushroom mix, or for a vegetarian version 1 pound. (To make your roasted mushroom mix, mix two pounds of your favorite mushroom with 2 tablespoons of olive oil with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Heat an oven to 400 F and place the mushrooms on several baking sheets lined with parchment. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and switching pans top to bottom halfway through cooking. After cooking, grind with a food processor or hand emulsifier to make a ground meat-like texture).
2 pounds tomatoes, peeled and chopped, with juice, or 1 28-ounce can, pulsed in a food processor with juice
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
¼ rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cloves, ground
Pinch of allspice (2 or 3 berries), ground
½ teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
½ to 1 cup hot water
Salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 egg, beaten
For the Topping
4 eggs, beaten
1¼ cups plain Greek yogurt
pinch of Salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of paprika
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, kefalotyri or kashkaval cheese
Prep
Step 1
Heat oven to 450 degrees with racks positioned in the middle and lower third. Slice eggplants lengthwise, about ⅓ inch thick. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and brush foil with olive oil. Place slices on the foil, season to taste with salt, and brush with olive oil. Place in oven and roast until soft and browned in spots, about 20 minutes, switching the pans top to bottom after 10 minutes. When done, slices will look dry on the surface, but when you pierce them with a knife, you should be able to see that the flesh is soft. Remove from oven and carefully fold foil up over eggplant to make a foil packet, taking care not to burn yourself. It doesn’t matter if the eggplant slices pile onto each other. Crimp the edges of the foil so that the eggplant is sealed in the packet and leaves it to steam inside the foil for 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, make the meat and tomato filling. In a large, deep skillet or casserole, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, for about 30 seconds, and raise the heat to medium-high. Stir in ground beef or lamb and brown for about 3 minutes. Stir in the roasted mushroom mix, tomatoes, paprika, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, sugar, bay leaf, salt, and enough water to barely cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick and very fragrant. Cook uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes until the liquid in the pan is just about gone. Remove bay leaf, taste it, add salt and pepper, and remove it from heat. Allow mixture to cool slightly, then stir in 1 beaten egg and parsley.
Step 3
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 3-quart baking dish or gratin dish. Spread half the eggplant slices over the bottom in an even layer, and spread the meat sauce on top in one layer. Top with the remaining eggplant. Bake for 30 minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile, beat together eggs and yogurt, season with salt (about ½ teaspoon) and stir in pepper and paprika. Pour over top of moussaka, scraping out every last drop with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over the top. Return to oven and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve warm.