Today I will show you how to make the best eggplant casserole recipe step by step. This aubergine’s moussaka is a summer recipe with Mediterranean influences but made in my style.
Do you probably wonder what the difference is between my recipe and the original Greek moussaka one? Well first of all the minced meat, I used minced pork instead of beef or lamb. That’s because pork is a family favourite, and because I had it in the fridge.
Secondly, I did not use bechamel sauce or potatoes in this recipe but believe me that in my version it is especially delicious.
Contents
Let’s See the Ingredients for the Best Eggplant Casserole Recipe
Well, first of all we need eggplants, I chose four pieces of medium size.
The second basic ingredient is minced meat, I used about a kilogram of minced pork with low fat content.
I also used in this recipe two medium-sized onions, two ripened tomatoes and one sweet red bell pepper.
And let’s not forget two canned chopped tomatoes, some sheep’s cheese and grated cheddar cheese. These last two can be replaced with any type of cheese, mozzarella or Parmesan.
Let’s Prepare the Ingredients
We are cleaning and peeling the onions, washed the tomatoes and cut the sweet red pepper, removing the seeds from the inside.
I washed the eggplants and cut their tails.
We slice the eggplants along them, season with salt and let them stand for a while, leaving their juice, which is bitter.
Precooking the Ingredients
Before assembling the best eggplant casserole recipe, we must precook the ingredients. For this, we chop the onions and fry them in a pan, in a little olive oil. When the onion has become translucent, we also put the mincemeat to fry.
I seasoned with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, a little marjoram and sweet pepper paste. For added flavour, I added a little goulash paste, but if you don’t have it, this is not necessary.
Add a little water or vegetable soup and let it simmer for about half an hour. If you use beef or lamb meat, you can add a little red wine instead of water.
Transfer the meat to a bowl and let it cool a bit while frying the eggplants. We drain the juice left by them and dry the eggplant slices with a paper towel. After that, we start to fry them one by one in a little olive oil.
After I fried the eggplant, I also fried the sliced sweet red pepper for added flavour.
How Do We Put the Layers in the Eggplant Casserole?
First of all, we need a slightly deeper oven tray, I chose one of the heat-resistant glass trays. Pour on the bottom of the tray a little olive oil and put the first layer of sliced fried eggplant.
Over them we put the whole amount of sautéed minced meat.
The third layer is again eggplant slices.
Now I add sliced tomatoes and the fried sweet red pepper. I seasoned only with a little oregano because the eggplant and the meat were salted.
The fifth and final layer is again sliced eggplant.
I poured over the canned chopped tomatoes and put the tray in the oven, preheated to 200 degrees Celsius, for half an hour.
Now we put on top the grated cheese and sheep cheese, and bake everything for another half hour.
When the eggplant casserole gets a golden colour, it is ready. That was in my opinion the best eggplant casserole recipe, ready to serve.
How We Serve the Eggplant Moussaka?
I served this great eggplant moussaka on the plate, with more grated pecorino, hot and with fresh bread.
But the truth is that when removing the moussaka from the oven, it is very difficult to cut and remove the slice from the pan as it is hot. Even if the appearance is not as expected, the taste is special.
I have grated a little more Pecorino, but whoever wants it can put a tablespoon of Greek yogurt.
This is the best eggplant casserole recipe, cooked in my style. Try this delicious recipe or and I wait for your opinions. You can also try from our blog the tasty cabbage casserole recipe, it’s the same delicious casserole dish. Good appetite!
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Best Eggplant Casserole Recipe-Timea’s Aubergine Moussaka
Equipment
- heat-resistant glass tray
Ingredients
- 4 pieces eggplants medium-size
- 1 kg pork mince low fat
- 2 pieces onions medium-size
- 2 pieces tomatoes ripened
- 1 piece sweet red pepper
- 150 ml olive oil extra virgin
- 2 can chopped tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons sea salt kosher
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon marjoram dried
- 1 tbsp oregano dried
- 1 tbsp sweet pepper paste
- 1 teaspoon gulyas paste
- 100 g pecorino cheese grated
- 150 g sheep cheese
Instructions
- We cleaned the onions, washed the tomatoes and cut the sweet red pepper, removing the seeds from the inside. I washed the eggplants and cut their tails. Slice the eggplants along them, season with salt and let them stand for a while, leaving their juice, which is bitter.
- Chop the onions and fry them in a pan, in a little olive oil. When the onion has become translucent, put the mincemeat to fry over then. Season with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, a little marjoram and sweet pepper paste. For added flavour, I add a teaspoon of gulyas paste. Pour a little water or vegetable soup and let it simmer for about half an hour.
- Drain the juice left by the eggplant slice and dry them with a paper towel. After that, start to fry them one by one in a little olive oil. After the eggplant slices are fried, I also fry the sliced sweet red pepper for added flavour.
- Pour on the bottom of the pan a little olive oil and put the first layer of slices of fried eggplant. Over them, put the whole amount of minced meat. The third layer is again eggplant. Now I add sliced tomatoes and the fried sweet red pepper. I seasoned only with a little oregano because the eggplant and meat were salted.
- The fifth and final layer is again sliced eggplant. I poured over the two canned tomatoes and put the tray in the oven heated to 200 degrees Celsius, for half an hour. Now we put on top the grated cheese and sheep cheese and bake everything for another half hour.
Nutrition
