23 Aug Vegetarian Lentil Moussaka
Moussaka is a traditional Greek dish consisting of eggplant layered with a rich lamb sauce and topped with a layer of bechamel.
This recipe is adapted to a vegetarian version using lentils as the protein source.
Serves 6 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 55 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 eggplants, sliced into thin rounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 × 400 g tins cherry tomatoes
2 × 400 g tins brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup (200 g) smooth ricotta
2 eggs
1 cup (280 g) Greek yoghurt
Sprinkle of nutmeg
½ cup (40 g) finely grated parmesan
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced). Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the eggplant in batches for 2 minutes each side until slightly softened, then transfer to a plate and set aside. (You don’t need oil here – it is just to soften the eggplant.)
2. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes, until fragrant. Add the onion and capsicum and cook for 3–4 minutes, until starting to soften. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes and lentils. Cook for 10 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
3. Meanwhile, to prepare the topping, whisk the ricotta, eggs and yoghurt in a bowl until smooth. Add the nutmeg and season with freshly ground black pepper if desired. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
4. Spread a small amount of the lentil sauce over the base of a rectangular baking dish (30 cm × 20 cm, approx.). Top with
one-third of the eggplant slices, overlapping them slightly to form a neat layer. Top with one-third of the lentil sauce. Continue with the remaining eggplant and lentil sauce to make two more layers of each.
5. Dollop the ricotta mixture over the top of the lentil sauce and spread out as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the parmesan over
the top.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the dish and the topping is set and golden brown.
Set aside for 5 minutes before serving.
Note: The moussaka will be even better if made the day before serving – this will allow it extra time to sit and absorb the flavours,
and the eggplant layers will hold together better when slicing. Store in the fridge for 1 day, then slice and reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Dr Nick Fuller is an internationally recognised health expert who has worked in both corporate and academic settings. He is also a leading obesity researcher and has university degrees in exercise physiology, nutrition and dietetics and a doctorate in obesity and weight management.
He is currently responsible for the clinical research program within the Boden Initiative, located within the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney. He is a father of two children.
For more information, visit:
www.feedingfussykids.com and www.intervalweightloss.com.
Healthy Parents, Healthy Kids by Dr. Nick Fuller pub. Penguin Random House RRP $37. Available in Paperback, Audio and EBook.
