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Mushroom Moussaka Recipe

This recipe is rated 4.7 out of 5.

Gluten-free option

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Refined sugar free

Nut-free option

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Thinly sliced potatoes, a layer of melt-in-your-mouth eggplant, a spiced mushroom bolognese, and creamy béchamel poured over top — each layer perfectly fills in the cracks of the one below it with complementary flavours and textures!

You will need

Serves 6

  • 3 eggplants, cut widthways in 1 cm cuts
  • 4 potatoes, peeled and cut widthways in 1 cm cuts

Bolognese

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 5 portobello mushrooms, brunoise
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 140g tomato puree
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • Salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1L vegetable oil

Vegan Bechamel Sauce

  • 100g oil based butter alternative (margarine)
  • 100g plain flour (gluten-free if needed)
  • 1L oat milk (or plant milk of choice)
  • 3 pinches salt flakes

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Directions

20 mins to prep

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced.

  2. Step 2

    Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt and let liquid drain out.

  3. Step 3

    For the vegan bolognese, sweat off onions and garlic at medium-low temperature for 8 minutes or until translucent.

  4. Step 4

    Add in mushrooms and cook at high heat for 4 minutes continuously stirring to help char them all.

  5. Step 5

    Deglaze pot with red wine and add in your spices.

  6. Step 6

    Once the red wine has nearly disappeared, add in your tomato paste and cook out for a minute, stirring as you do. Add in your water and allow to reduce until all the liquid is gone.

  7. Step 7

    Place most of the vegetable oil in a low pan and bring to a medium heat. It will be ready to go when you place a wooden spoon in the oil and small bubbles appear around it.

  8. Step 8

    Add potatoes to the hot oil and allow to simmer in the oil until the edges begin to colour and go golden brown. Place onto a paper towel to drain.

  9. Step 9

    Ring out the salted eggplant slices, draining the liquid. Place the eggplant into the oil and simmer on medium heat until they begin to colour. Remove and place onto a paper towel.

  10. Step 10

    To prepare the bechamel sauce, place the oil based butter alternative into a pot on medium heat and cook until it becomes just liquid. Add in flour and mix together with a wooden spoon. Continue mixing for 4 minutes to cook out the flour, stirring continuously so not to burn.

  11. Step 11

    Pout in the oat milk and turn the heat up to high and whisk slowly. Increase the whisking spread as the bechamel comes together and begins to thicken. Whisk until it forms a thick sauce.

  12. Step 12

    To form the moussaka, place a layer of half the potatoes on the bottom of your baking tray, covering all the space.

  13. Step 13

    Spoon a quarter of your mushroom bolognese and spread. Place half of the eggplant pieces on top of the sauce, speed another quarter of the sauce over the eggplant pieces. Repeat the process with remaining potato and eggplant. To finish, pour the bechamel on top then place in your oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown.

  14. Step 14

    If you can, let the moussaka sit for a half hour or so before serving, so all the flavours can really meld together nicely — if you’re patient with this dish, you will be handsomely rewarded!

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Recipe: Conor Curran

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