A Different Take on Moussaka
By: Gillian on February 15, 2011
It’s interesting how many cultures have developed dishes that incorporate ground meat, tomatoes and cheese – the American hamburger, Italian spaghetti Bolognese, Greek moussaka, to name but a few. Ground lamb, tomato, feta cheese and eggplant are often used in authentic Greek moussaka recipes, although there are many variations. I like to think of this recipe as a sort of English or American version of moussaka - plus it’s gluten-free! Leftovers are really easy to freeze away and heat up for a quick dinner.
3 large potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch slices
3-4 Tbs vegetable oil
1 cup of diced onion
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 lb of ground beef or lean lamb
14.5-oz can of diced tomatoes
2 eggs
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup whole milk plus 1/4 cup of cream
Salt & black pepper
Preheat oven to 325° F.
Brown the potato slices on both sides in the cooking oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Remove the browned potato slices, and arrange in the bottom of a casserole dish. Add salt and pepper sparingly. Add the onion to the remaining oil (add a bit more if necessary to prevent burning) and cook over medium heat until soft and transparent. Add the ground meat and brown; add garlic and tomatoes. Mix well; season with salt and pepper. When heated through, pour the mixture onto the potatoes and smooth the surface. Whisk the eggs and then stir in the milk and cream. Pour over the contents of the casserole and then sprinkle evenly with grated cheese. Bake on the middle shelf in the oven for 30 min.; then, increase oven temperature to 400° F. and bake for another 30 min. or until a golden brown.
4-6 Servings
