moussaka
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Moussaka lite-er

"Real" moussaka is usually pretty heavy on the fats. Typically it is made with lamb, involves sauteed eggplant (an efficient sponge for soaking up fat), and is finished with a topping of white sauce. I've tried to lighten the dish up by using ground turkey instead of lamb, baking the eggplant instead of frying it, and topping with a lower-carb sauce (but not low fat — yet!).

  • 3 medium eggplants
  • Kosher salt
  • No-stick cooking spray, PAM or equiv
  • Black pepper, freshly ground

Cut off the ends of the eggplants and slice lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices. You can leave the skin on. Put on a rack or in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for about 30–60 minutes to draw out the bitter juices from the eggplant. Rinse off and pat dry with paper towels. Lay slices on foil-lined baking sheets, spritz with cooking spray, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes at 400°F.

  • 1 med. onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/8 tsp ground allspice
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Cook the onion and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat until the onions become translucent and soft. Add the turkey and spices, stirring frequently until the turkey is browned (5 minutes).

  • 1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes, including juices

Stir the tomatoes into the meat mixture and bring to simmer. Cover and cook until the sauce thickens, about 25 minutes. If it's still thin, uncover and cook a few minutes more to evaporate some of the juices.

  • 2 T butter
  • 2 T flour
  • 1 c skim milk
  • Ground black pepper
  • 16 oz part-skim ricotta cheese

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly while the flour cooks. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Whisk in the ricotta until smooth. (For a richer, smoother sauce, use 6 oz Neufchatel instead of ricotta.)

  • No-stick cooking spray
  • 2 T dried bread crumbs
  • Baked eggplant slices
  • Meat mixture
  • Sauce
  • 1/4 c grated parmesan

Assemble the dish. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch glass casserole or baking dish with no-stick spray and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Layer half the eggplant slices then half the meat mixture, and repeat. Pour the sauce on top and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake about 1hr at 350°F. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Servings: 6 generous