Eggplant-Potato Moussaka
Ingredients
Vegetable layer:
- 1 lb eggplant
- 1 lb zucchini
- 1 1/2 lbs russet or large baking potatoes (large, long potatoes work perfectly in this recipe)
- 3 tbsp olive oil plus more for brushing
- Salt
For the Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup shallots finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 (15 ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 tsp oregano dried
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
For the Cashew Cream:
- 1/2 cup cashews unroasted, soaked for an hour or so, then drained
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 12 oz soft silken tofu
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp arrowroot powder
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
To assemble
- 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- Olive oil, nutmeg, oregano for dusting top of casserole
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper, and generously oil the sheets with olive oil. Wash the eggplant and zucchini, and trim the stems. Scrub and peel the potatoes. Slice the eggplant, zucchini, and potatoes lengthwise into approximately 1⁄4-inch-thick slices.
- Arrange vegetable slices on a separate baking sheets in a single layer: do not overlap slices. Brush slices with olive oil and sprinkle vegetables with little bit of sea salt. Roast the pans of zucchini and eggplant for 15 minutes, or until tender. The potatoes may take longer, about 20 to 22 minutes, until slices can be easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and continue make the sauces.
While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the tomato sauce:
- Heat olive oil and minced garlic in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook the garlic for about 30 seconds, then add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine and simmer to reduce slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, ground cinnamon, bay leaves, and salt. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce slightly. Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf.
Make the cashew cream:
- In a food processor, blend the cashews and olive oil, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until a creamy paste forms. Add the remaining cream topping ingredients. Blend until completely creamy and smooth.
- Assemble the moussaka, opa! Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole with olive oil and preheat the oven again to 400°F. Spread 1⁄4 cup of sauce on the pan, then add successive layers in order of eggplant, potatoes, sauce, and half the bread crumbs. Spread all the zucchini on top of this. Top with a final layer each of eggplant, potatoes, sauce, and bread crumbs. Use a rubber spatula to evenly spread the tofu nut cream over the entire top layer. Decorate top by scattering with pine nuts and healthy drizzles of olive oil. Dust the top generously with dried oregano and a tiny pinch of nutmeg.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, uncover and bake another 15, then broil top for 2-4 minutes until browned spots appear (for that authentic Greek homemade casserole touch). For easier slicing, cool 10 minutes to allow the topping to firm up.
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