Today I will show you how to make the best eggplant casserole recipe step by step. This aubergine moussaka is a summer recipe with Mediterranean influences but made in my style.
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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 I had it in the fridge.
Secondly, I did not use bechamel sauce or potatoes in this recipe, but believe me, and it is incredibly delicious in my version.
Let’s See the Ingredients for the Best Eggplant Casserole Recipe
First, we need eggplants; I chose four pieces of medium size ripened eggplants.
The second essential 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. Can replace these last two with any cheese, mozzarella or Parmesan.
Let’s Prepare the Ingredients
After you are cleaned and peeled the onions, wash the tomatoes and cut the sweet red pepper, removing the seeds from the inside.
Wash 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.
Precooking the Ingredients
Before assembling the best eggplant casserole recipe, you must precook the ingredients. For this, chop the onions and fry them in a pan in a little olive oil. When the onion has become translucent, add the mincemeat to the fry.
Season with one teaspoon of sea salt, one teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, one teaspoon of marjoram and one tablespoon of sweet pepper paste. I added one teaspoon of goulash paste for more flavour, but this is unnecessary if you don’t have it.
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 cool while frying the eggplants. Drain the juice left and dry the eggplant slices with a paper towel. After that, you can start to fry them one by one in a little olive oil.
After you fried all the eggplant slices, put the sliced sweet red pepper into frying for added flavour.
How Do We Put the Layers in the Eggplant Casserole?
First, we need a slightly deeper oven tray; I chose one heat-resistant glass tray. Pour a little olive oil on the bottom of the tray and put the first layer of sliced fried eggplant.
Over them, put the whole amount of sautéed minced meat and spread lightly with a spatula or knife.
The third layer is again eggplant slices.
Now add the sliced tomatoes and the fried sweet red pepper. Season only with one tablespoon of oregano because the eggplant and the meat were salted.
The fifth and final layer is again sliced eggplant.
Poured over the canned chopped tomatoes and put the tray in the oven, preheated to 200 Celsius (392 F), for half an hour.
Now sprinkle the grated cheese and sheep cheese on top 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?
Serve one hot slice from this delicious eggplant moussaka on the plate, with more grated pecorino and fresh bread.
But the truth is that when removing the moussaka from the oven, it is tough to cut and remove the slice from the pan as it is hot. Even if the appearance is not as expected, the taste is unique.
I have grated a little more Pecorino, but whoever wants it can put a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt.
This was my best eggplant casserole recipe, cooked in my style. Try this delicious recipe or and I will be waiting for your opinions. You can also try from our blog these delicious casserole recipes:
- Best Chicken Casserole Recipe
- Best Cheese Potato Casserole Recipe
- Cabbage Casserole Recipe
- Easy Potato Moussaka Recipe
- Turkish Moussaka
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Best Eggplant Casserole Recipe-Timea’s Aubergine Moussaka
Equipment
- 1 glass oven 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 tsp sea salt kosher
- 1 tsp ground pepper freshly ground
- 1 tsp marjoram dried
- 1 tbsp oregano dried
- 1 tbsp sweet pepper paste
- 1 tsp gulyas paste
- 100 g pecorino cheese grated
- 150 g sheep cheese
Instructions
- Clean the onions, wash the tomatoes and cut the sweet red pepper, removing the seeds from the inside. Wash 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 becomes translucent, put the mincemeat to fry over.
- 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 the pieces one by one in a little olive oil.
- After frying the eggplant slices, continue with the sliced sweet red pepper for added flavour.
- Pour a little olive oil on the bottom of the pan 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. Add the sliced tomatoes and the fried sweet red pepper, season only with oregano because the eggplant and meat were salted.
- The fifth and final layer will be sliced eggplant again. Poured over the canned tomatoes and put the tray in the oven heated to 200 C (392 F) for half an hour.
- Sprinkle on top the grated cheese and sheep cheese and bake everything for another half hour.