# Greek Moussaka, vegan style ..

Here is a delicious recipe, filling, balanced and that transports us somewhere else.. Moussaka is a pretty easy dish to prepare, and can be eaten hot and cold in both winter and summer alike.. However you do need to ensure that you set aside some time as it does take a while to prepare….We can even prepare it the night before… Between preparation time and cooking time, it takes about 1 and half hours, but it is well worth it 😉 The real recipe is made with lamb, that here I have replaced with tofu fillets for a light and vegan alternative to the traditional version.

Ingredients / pour 2 personnes

2 tofu fillets by the brand Taifun (pizza flavor)
4 large eggplants (aubergines)/1 onion /1 tin of peeled organic tomatoes or 4 large fresh tomatoes.
Olive oil/ spices: cumin seeds or powder/ cinnamon, grated nutmeg /salt & pepper, chili pepper and oregano.

For the bechamel sauce :

Vegan & gluten free : 40 g olive oil/ 50 g rice flour/ ¾ of a litre of vegetal milk / salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Vegetarian & gluten free: 30 g of butter + 1 tbsp of olive oil or 40g of the oil of your choice / 50g of rice flour/ ¾ of a litre of vegetal milk/ salt, pepper, nutmeg/ grated cheese/ optional: 1 organic egg.

Preparation:

Pre heat the oven to 180°C.
Slice the eggplants into thin slices, place them onto baking paper, add salt and leave for 30 minutes.
Cook the onion in olive oil until it is turns golden brown, and add the spices and the tofu filet pieces. Cook well for roughly 20 minutes on a low heat.
Add the 4 fresh tomatoes cut into large pieces or the tinned tomatoes ( +a glass of water) . Add crushed garlic, salt, pepper (even some hot pepper if you like?) and leave to simmer, stiring carefully from time to time (roughly 30/40 minutes), or until the sauce reduces. Set to one side.
Rince the eggplants slices, dry them and fry in a pan with 1 tbp of olive oil, until they are soft. (lighter alternative: add one layer of aubergine in the oven with some foil, add a little oil and cook under the grill until the vegetables are brown)
Add salt, pepper and set aside.

Bechamel :

1/ vegan et gluten free version

In a pan, heat the oil for 30 second, add the flour and using a whisk until you reach an even consistency.
Over a low heat, pour 1 quarter of vegetal milk , whisking vigorously to avoid lumps and to obtain a smooth and glossy texture.
Add the rest of the milk without stopping whisking until the mixture begins to thicken, but not too much..
If the consistency is to thick, pour a bit more vegetal milk, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Add a pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg according to your personal preference.

2/vegetarian and gluten free version :

In a pan, heat the olive oil and butter (be careful it does not burn) and add the flour using a whisk to mix together.
Over a low heat, pour 1 quarter of vegetal milk using the whisk to obtain a smooth and creamy texture. Add the rest of the soy milk without stopping whisking until it starts to thicken, but not too much.If the consistency is to thick, pour a bit more vegetal milk, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more.
At the end you can add the egg yolk for a more filling version, keep whisking firmly.
Finish by the adding salt, cayenne pepper, nutmeg and the grated cheese according to your personal preference.

*The secret of a good bechamel also lies into seasoning and I put quite a lot of nutmeg and ground paper to my sauce.. And for the final touch, vegetarians can add grated cheese into the sauce and/or on top of their dish while vegans can cover it with bread crumbs.

Assembling the Moussaka ..

Make sure you choose a rather hight sided dish as Moussaka is getting quite juicy when baking.. If you use individuals pasty cutters, place them on a rimmed baking dish to avoid juice spilling.. And when moussaka is baked, you just have to gently lift the pastry cutter with a large spatula to detach it completely from the baking dish. Place each portion into plates and gently remove the pastry cutter.

Use a square baking dish or in 10cm large pastry cutters.
Add a layer of the sliced eggplants, one layer of tofu in spicy tomato sauce, one layer of eggplants, and another layer of tofu.
Add the bechamel sauce over the top. I also add grated emmental cheese, cayenne pepper and some breadcrumbs… Vegan will just add breadcrumbs and cayenne pepper.
Place the dish into the oven for 40 – 45 minutes or 20 – 25 minutes for individual portions in the pastry cutters. In either case the top should be piping hot.
To eat hot or cold and to be accompanied with a green salad, germinated grains or raw veg..

Bon appétit <3