Piquant Vegan Eggplant Moussaka
This wonderful summer dish from the Southern Balkans consists of thin, crispy pan-fried eggplant (aubergine) slices cooked in a piquant tomato sauce. It is a type of moussaka that can be served as a main vegetarian meal or as a side dish to grilled meats. It is gluten-free and Keto-friendly and can be prepared as a vegan dish if you use vegan cheese as a topping.
Equipment
- 1 medium-sized square casserole dish
Ingredients
- 4 large eggplants/aubergines evenly sliced
- 1 medium-sized onion finely chopped
- 10 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 6 large ripe fresh tomatoes or 2 x 400ml sweet canned tomatoes
- 1 cup grated vegan cheese for the vegetarian option, use parmesan or yellow cheese
- 4-5 cups cooking olive oil ( for frying the eggplant)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon savoury spice if available
- 1 tablespoon smoky paprika
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1-2 bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg (egg white only)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 356°F.
- Wash and cut the eggplants/aubergines into 0.6-1cm thick slices. Arrange the sliced eggplants on a large tray and sprinkle salt over them. Let them sweat for 15-20 minutes. Then, rinse them under your kitchen tap to remove excess salt and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the eggplant slices lightly with egg white on both sides.
- Heat the cooking oil to a high temperature in a large heavy-based pan. Pan-fry the eggplant pieces to a golden colour on both sides. Take the cooked eggplant/aubergine slices out of the oil and place them on paper towels for the oil to drain.
- Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and saute the onion until soft, then add the chopped garlic and sauté it for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, paprika, bay leaf, dried savoury spice and sugar. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and the diced fresh parsley. Continue cooking it until the sauce is thick.
- Assemble the dish in a medium-sized oven dish. First, arrange a single layer of pan-fried eggplant slices and spread half of the tomato sauce over the eggplant. Complete another layer of eggplant and finish with piquant tomato sauce on top. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of the dish.
- Place the moussaka in the middle of the preheated oven for 20 minutes.