2 lb (about 4) eggplant, stems removed
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup corn oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/2 cup tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
1 1/2 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, grated
Directions
This Jewish-style moussaka does not have meat since the kosher laws
prohibit mixing meat and milk together. The result is a complete
vegetarian dish with considerable dimension.
1. Cut each eggplant lengthwise into 3 equal slices. Sprinkle with
the salt and let stand for 20 minutes, Dry the slices on paper towels
to absorb the liquid that accumulates. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan and stir-fry the garlic
over moderate heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato
sauce, tomato paste, and water and mix well. Simmer the sauce over
low heat until it becomes thickened, about 15 minutes.
3. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Dip the
eggplant slices into the beaten eggs and fry over moderate heat for 2
minutes. Fry all the eggplant slices this way.
4. Assemble the moussaka in this manner. Put a layer of eggplant
in a heatproof glass or metal baking dish. Cover with about 1/2 cup
of the cooked tomato sauce. Sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of the
grated cheese. Cover this another layer of eggplant, then sauce,
then cheese. The last layer (there should be three) ends with the
cheese. Bake in a preheated
350 degrees F oven for 1/2 hour.
Serve warm. Serves 6 with spaghetti or other dishes.
Recipe: "Sephardic Cooking" by Copeland Mark -- 600 Recipes Created
in
: Exotic Sephardic Kitchens from Morocco to India -- Copyright
: 1992 Published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York, N.Y.
Servings: 6 servings
Moussaka (Vegetarian Eggplant & Cheese) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Cheese; Eggplant; Vegetable; Vegetarian
The History of Recipes
Written recipes as an idea can be found back into history, at least as far into history as the Egypt of the Pharoahs, and potentially, even further back. Having said that, generally, these ancient cookbooks were just basic hieroglyphic instructions for food preparation.
In an interesting twist, the oldest recipe discovered so far, according to historians is a collection of clay tablets in Sumerian describing the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making those who drank it feel exhilarated. Moving our culinary historical trip onwards, there are some recipe books published in the fourteenth century : one book entitled `Forme of Cury`, and another titled `Curye on Inglish`. Perhaps surprisingly, they have no connection with the curry that we all know today, but rather accounts of the types of meals on the tables of the nobility of the period. Later on, in the 15th century, the Crusaders brought back many foods and spices from middle-east cuisine, including spices like basil and rosemary. These new foods and spices was responsible for an explosion in manuscripts on food, most of which still exist in private cookery archives. Over the next few hundred years, the wealthy families of the West competed to offer the most extravagent banquests, and because of this the best chefs and their collection of recipes were much in demand. Nevertheless, it was during the 19th century that formal cookery and recipe books really came of age. The Famous Mrs Beeton in the UK, and Fannie Farmer in the US, dedicated their lives to assembling, trying out, and publishing recipes for their fellow cooks to enjoy. When we get to the 20th century, cooking books were in great demand, as a result of higher levels of literacy, people having increased leisure time and having more money. The arrival of TV brought us TV cookery programs and the demand for the spin-off recipe books. Which brings us neatly up to date and the invention of computers and the internet, allowing everybody to search through thousands of recipes just like those on sites such as the one you are reading now. |
We hope you enjoy this Moussaka (Vegetarian Eggplant & Cheese) recipe.
