Vegetarian Moussaka

For the vegetable layers:

1 pound eggplant

1 pound zucchini

1.5 pounds potatoes (I like to use yukon gold)

1/4 cup olive oil

For the tomato sauce (for extra sauce to serve with the moussaka, double the ingredients below):

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/3 cup red wine

2 (15-ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes

2 teaspoons died oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 bay leaf

salt to taste

For the yogurt topping:

1 (16-ounce) container of greek yogurt

1 clove of garlic, minced

Pinch of nutmeg

dash of salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash the vegetables and slice each one into about 1/4 inch-thick slices. Put the potatoes on a separate baking sheet from the zucchinis and the eggplant (they will take a bit longer to cook). Pour the olive oil evenly over all the vegetables and sprinkle them with salt. Toss the vegetables to evenly distribute the oil and salt, then arrange them into a single layer over the baking sheet. Roast the eggplant and zucchini for about 15 minutes, and the potatoes for about 20 minutes.

While the vegetables are in the oven, make the tomato sauce. Add the olive oil along with the minced garlic into a large saucepan over medium heat. Let the garlic cook for a bout 30 seconds before adding the diced onion. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes or until it is soft and translucent.  Add the red wine and let it reduce slightly, for another 3 minutes. Then add the cans of tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, and the bay leaf. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the sauce simmer, partially covered for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove the bay leaf, and taste for salt. If necessary, add a bit more until the taste is to your liking.

For the yogurt topping, add the garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the yogurt container and stir.

To assemble:

Lightly oil the dish you wish to use, which can be a 9×13 inch pan, or individual ramekins as pictured above. Keep the oven at 400 degrees F. Spread 1/4 cup of sauce on the bottom of your pan, then add a layer of eggplant, a layer of potatoes, a layer of sauce, all the zucchini, and then another layer of eggplant, potatoes, and sauce. When you are finished with the vegetable assembly, spread the yogurt topping over the top of the dish. Be careful not to spread it to vigorously because the tomato sauce might pop through the white yogurt layer and color it pink.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until the top is slightly browned (yours won’t be as brown as mine, I left it in the oven a bit too long…). Wait 10-20 minutes before slicing to let the layers set up a bit.

Adapted from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook.

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