Vegetarian moussaka with lentils

Vegetarian moussaka with lentils
  • Difficulty;
    Difficulty
    Normal
  • Preparation time
    Preparation
    20 minutes
  • Cooking time
    Cooking
    1 hour
  • Portions
    Portions
    4
  • Baking tin size
    Baking tin size
    25 cm
  • Diet recipe
    Dietetics
    No
  • Vegan recipe
    Vegan
    No
  • Vegetarian recipe
    Vegetarian
    Yes
  • Without eggs
    No eggs
    Yes
  • Without cooking
    No cook
    No

Description

Vegetarian moussaka with lentilsIf you have made a trip to Greece, beyond the beauty of antiquities, the courtesy of the people and the splendid coasts, you cannot have tasted the wonderful MOUSSAKA!

A mix of Bolognese lasagna and parmigiana from Catania, an explosion of flavors, something exceptionally good and... yes, also pretty cool! With a slice you get up satisfied from the table!

We wanted to try the vegetarian version, shamelessly copying it from our greek neighbors and the result was extraordinary! The secret is, as they teach us, to make a delicate and full-bodied lentil ragout. Try it yourself, regardless if you choose a meat sauce or a lentil sauce, you will madly fall in love with this recipe, the real, the original!

Ingredients

For the bechamel
  • 500 ml of milk (also vegetable)
  • 2,1 oz (60 g) of flour 0
  • Salt
  • A knob of butter
  • Nutmeg

  • 2 aubergines
  • 8,81 oz (250 g) about dried lentils
  • A glass full of mirepoix
  • 24,70 oz (700 g) about tomato sauce
  • A potato
  • Grated Parmesan or Grana q.s.
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Butter q.s.
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Preparation

  1. Prepare the bechamel by pouring the flour, salt and nutmeg into a saucepan. Now pour the milk flush and turn continuously with a whisk to avoid the formation of lumps. Put on medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, turning often until it has thickened. Finally add a knob of butter and melt it on an unlit fire. Set aside by letting it cool.
  2. Pot with flour, salt and nutmeg for the bechamel sauce Ready thickened bechamel
  3. Let's think now of the lentils, just cook them in stew. We rinse in cold water and remove any impurities. Prepare a large pot of water and dip the lentils together with a little salt and, for a more intense taste, of mirepoix (celery, carrot and onion), if you don't have it, you can dissolve half the vegetable broth in the hot water. Leave to cook slowly over a moderate flame.
  4. Lentils in a pot for stewing Slow cooked lentils
  5. In the meantime, wash two eggplants thoroughly, cut them into slices and fry them.
  6. Eggplants washed in water and baking soda Sliced aubergines
  7. Alternatively, for a lighter variant, you can brush them with oil, place them in a pan and bake them in a static oven at over 200°C. Remember to turn the slices after a few minutes, or when they are golden brown.
  8. Slice of aubergine brushed with olive oil Baking tray with aubergines coated with olive oil
  9. In a large pan, create the fake ragout. Fry in abundant mix oil for sauté (add a few tablespoons of water to avoid using too much oil).
  10. Mix for sauté in a large pan Vegetable mix with a little water
  11. Add the tomato puree and sweeten the flame to cook more gently. Add the already cooked and dry lentils, mix all, season with salt and pepper. Leave to cook for a few minutes with a lid.
  12. Adding tomato sauce to the mirepoix Vegetable ragout with cooked lentils
  13. Remember to turn the aubergines and do not burn or dry them. Peel even 1 or 2 potatoes and cut them into thin slices with a mandolin.
  14. Ready-made aubergines fried in the oven Peeled potato on the mandolin
  15. Grease the bottom of a baking dish and arrange the potato slices. Hall slightly.
  16. Ceramic baking dish with greased bottom Potato slices arranged on the bottom of the dish
  17. Create a layer of fried aubergines, a layer of lentil sauce and complete with a nice sprinkling of grated parmesan or grana.
  18. Layer of fried aubergines Layer of vegetable ragout with parmesan
  19. Continue with another layer of fried aubergines, a layer of lentil sauce and a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan or grana.
  20. Second layer of fried aubergines Second layer of vegetable ragout
  21. Now it's time for the bechamel sauce, spread it evenly, season with parmesan (or grana), a drizzle of oil and a few flakes of butter. Bake for about 15-20 minutes in a hot oven and, once baked, wait for the moussaka to cool slightly. Enjoy your meal!
  22. Moussaka ready to be put in the oven Moussaka ready fresh from the oven