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  • Traditional clay pot baked eggplant moussaka

Traditional clay pot baked eggplant moussaka

Published on November 28, 2014 | By |

We call this dish “The Now you see it, Now you don’t MOUSSAKA”

Everyone has heard of moussaka but this one is the real thing.

This dish may require spending a little more time in the kitchen than we would normally like, but it is so incredibly well worth it…down to the very last delicious morsel.

Consider it a hearty full course meal in a pot.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium sized eggplants (aubergines)
  • 3 large onions, chopped
  • 900g/2lb minced meat (organic farm raised beef)
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 tbsp. organic tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. softened organic butter (to grease the baking dish)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup red wine
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • Yogurt Sauce Topping:
  • 900g/2lb sheep’s milk plain Greek strained yogurt
  • 2 organic eggs, slightly beaten
  • pinch of sugar (optional, to soften the yogurt flavor)
  • 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs (for gluten free diets use finely grated parmesan cheese)
  • sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  • 1. Peel and slice eggplant (1 cm/ ½ in thick)
  • 2. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat and sauté the eggplant slices until golden. (or brush slices with olive oil on both sides and bake in the oven at 220c/430f for about 10 minutes on each side or until soft and golden)
  • 3. Set aside on an absorbent paper towel.
  • 4. Heat another ¼ cup of olive oil on medium/high heat and sauté the onions until lightly golden. Be patient this might take a few minutes.
  • 5. Add the minced meat and continue to sauté until meat is nicely browned and meat juices have evaporated.
  • 6. Add the tomato paste, parsley, cinnamon, red wine, salt and pepper. (taste for salt before adding as the tomato paste usually affects the saltiness)
  • 7. Cook for another 3 minutes.
  • 8. Brush a 25cm/10 in ceramic/or clay baking dish with the softened butter and layer the eggplants and meat mixture ending with the eggplants.
  • 9. Prepare the Yogurt Topping: -Whisk the yogurt with the eggs until very well blended. Add salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
  • 10. Pour the yogurt sauce over the eggplant. Even out with the back of the spoon and sprinkle the entire surface with the breadcrumbs.