Name: Pseudo-Moussaka with Spicy Tomato Sauce, Walnuts, and Feta
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Greece
Ingredients: 1 to 2 teaspoons Lebanese Seven-Spice Mixture (baharat); ½ cup (70 g) black currants, preferably Zante; ⅓ cup (80 ml) red wine; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 pound (500 g) chopped red, ripe tomatoes, any juices reserved, or 2½ cups (300 g) imported canned tomatoes, with their juices; 2 cups (240 g) grated aged cheddar, Gruyère, or graviera cheese; 1 to 2 teaspoons Maraş pepper or a good pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (freshly ground black pepper works as well); 2 cups (480 ml) Olive Oil and Yogurt Béchamel Sauce; Sea salt; 1 cup (120 g) crumbled feta cheese; 2 large eggplants (about 1½ pounds/680 g total), cut lengthwise into ¼-inch (.6-cm) slices; Olive oil, for frying; 2 tablespoons bread crumbs; 1⅔ cups (200 g) coarsely chopped walnuts; 1 pound (500 g) potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (0.6-cm) slices; 3 large green bell peppers, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and cut into about 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces; 1½ cups (240 g) chopped onions

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts

By Aglaia Kremezi

Published 2014

About

“Pseudo-Moussaka”is a meatless version of the iconic Greek dish my mother often prepared in the summer. In my adaptation of the family recipe, the eggplants, bell peppers, and potatoes are spiced up with an oriental-inspired tomato sauce that is enriched with walnuts and feta. This meatless version of moussaka resembles a gratin, with just a thin layer of light béchamel. Don’t expect to cut perfect rectangular pieces when you serve. If you are concerned about serving at the table, bake this