Lentil Moussaka
Author: Caroline Trickey from Healthy Home Cafe
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
- 1 large or 2 medium eggplants (approx 380g), sliced about 3mm thick
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons extra
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 large zucchini (140g), finely chopped
- 180g (1½ cups) of pumpkin, finely chopped
- 1½ x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup dry puy lentils*
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons vegetable stock powder (I use Massel)
- 240g (1 cup) Greek yoghurt*
- 1 egg*
- 2 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese, grated*
- *see below recipe for vegan alternative
- You will need a 4-6 cup casserole or baking dish, preferably ceramic, to bake the moussaka in
- Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt. Sit in a colander for 30 minutes, then wash well to rinse off the salt
- Meanwhile, make the sauce:
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add onion and olive oil and sauté the onion until browned
- Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes
- Add tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes
- Deglaze pan with red wine (allow wine to bubble until the alcohol evaporates), then add zucchini and pumpkin
- Finally add the tomatoes and rinse out the empty tomato tin with about 1 cup of water; then add the lentils, oregano, cinnamon, allspice and stock.
- Bring to the boil, then simmer over medium-low heat, covered, for about 40 minutes until the lentils are cooked
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Line a baking tray with greaseproof baking paper
- While the lentils are still cooking, rinse off the eggplant, brush with extra olive oil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until lightly browned
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg and yoghurt (yoghurt sauce) and set aside
- Cover the base of a casserole dish with a third of the cooked eggplant
- Spoon half of the lentil sauce over the eggplant, then cover with another third of the eggplant
- Add another layer of lentil sauce and cover with the final third of the eggplant
- Spread the yoghurt sauce evenly over the final eggplant layer to cover completely and sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top
- Bake in oven for about 30 minutes, until the top has turned golden brown (if it starts to brown early, turn the oven temperature down)
- Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before slicing
- Serve with salad or steamed greens
Recipe by Healthy Home Cafe at http://healthyhomecafe.com/2013/04/11/lentil-moussaka/
3.5.3251