You are here
Eggplant-Potato Moussaka with Pine Nut Cream
Veganomicon
Cathy made this tasty moussaka for our Spring Potluck.
Vegetable layer:
450 g1 pound eggplant
450 g1 pound zucchini
680 g1 &1/2 pound baking potatoes
59 ml1/4 c. olive oil
Sauce:
59 ml1/4 c. olive oil,
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
79 ml1/3 c. vegetable broth or red wine
2 (15 oz) cans crushed tomatoes with juice
10 ml2 tsp. dried oregano
1 ml1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
salt
Pine Nut Cream:
450 g1 pound soft silken tofu
79 ml1/3 cup pine nuts, plus additional for garnish (optional)
44 ml3 T. lemon juice
5 ml1 tsp. arrowroot powder
1 clove garlic
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
6 ml1 & 1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
white pepper
120 ml1/2 c. dry, fine bread crumbs
Wash the eggplant and zucchini and trim the stems. Scrub and peel the potatoes. Slice the eggplant, zucchini, and potatoes lengthwise into approximately 1/4-inch thick slices. Rub the eggplant slices with a little salt and set aside in a colander in the sink or in a big bowl for about 15 minutes to drain. Briefly rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Place each vegetable on a separate baking sheet. Distribute the 1/4 c. oil among the 3 sheets and sprinkle vegetables with salt (except the eggplant, if salted already.) Toss to coat the vegetables on each sheet, making sure each piece is completely coated with oil. Drizzle a little extra oil on the eggplant, as it has a tendency to stick. Spread out the vegetables on each sheet; some overlapping is okay. Roast the pans of zucchini and eggplant for 15 minutes or until tender. Roast the potatoes for about 20 to 22 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Allow the vegetables to cool.
To prepare the sauce, combine the remaining 1/4 c. olive oil and minced garlic in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium heat and let the garlic sizzle 30 seconds, then add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine and simmer another 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce slightly. Take off the heat, remove the bay leaf and adjust the salt.
To make the pine nut cream, in a food processor, blend the pine nuts and lemon juice, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until a creamy paste forms. Add the tofu, garlic, arrowroot, nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Blend until creamy and smooth.
Lightly oil a 9x13 inch pan and preheat the oven again to 400 F. Spread 1/4 c. sauce on the pan, then add successive layers in order of eggplant, potatoes, sauce, and half the bread crumbs. Spread all the zucchini on top of this. Top with a final layer each of eggplant, potatoes, sauce, and bread crumbs. Use a rubber spatula to spread the pine nut cream evenly over the top layer. Scatter a few pine nuts on top if desired.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a few cracks have formed in the topping. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.