Zucchini, Potato, and Artichoke Moussaka

I thought I'd kick off my recipe selection with one from Greece.  I love moussaka.  Baptiste introduced me to it while we were living in Paris.  It's kind of like Greek lasagna without the noodles.   Traditionally the moussaka sauce has beef or lamb, but during the fasting periods in the Greek Orthodox church, such as lent, they make the sauce without meat.  This recipe has a great combination of eastern Mediterranean flavors and spices--the kitchen smelled SO good!

My cookbook actually listed two varieties of the same recipe, one with the traditional eggplant and one with zucchini and potato standing in for the eggplant.  I have an on-again/off-again relationship with eggplant (it's either amazing or slimy), so I went with the zucchini/potato variety.  I'll list the changes for the eggplant version, so you could try it that way if you're interested.


Zucchini, Potato, and Artichoke Moussaka
Greece and the Balkans, serves 6-8

For the casserole:

1 1/2 pounds potatoes, such as Yukon gold
Salt
1 3/4 pounds zucchini

(if you choose to do the eggplant version, use 2-2 1/2 pounds of eggplants, 2 large or 3 medium eggplants)

3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced or put through a press (you know me, I used 5 cloves)
2 pounds tomatoes, peeled and chopped; or 1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, with juice, chopped.
1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 t sweet paprika (I added extra)
Heaped 1/4 t ground cinnamon (I added extra)
3 whole cloves (I'm pretty sure I added a couple more)
Pinch ground allspice (I added extra)
1/2 t sugar
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 c chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley
1 can (15 oz.) artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and rinsed

For the topping:

4 large eggs
1 1/4 c plain yogurt
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Sweet paprika
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, kefalotyri, or kashkaval cheese (Let me know if you can find, let alone pronounce those Greek cheeses!  I used Parmesan.)

1. Make the casserole. Heat the oven to 425ºF. Oil baking sheets with olive oil. Slice the potatoes lengthwise in oval slices about 1/4 inch thick.  Place on the baking sheets, salt lightly, and bake for about 15 minutes, until they are just beginning to brown and can be easily pierced with a knife. (For the eggplant version, slice the eggplants lengthwise about 1/3" thick.  Salt the slices generously and place in a large bowl or colander for 30-60 min.  Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450ºF and oil baking sheets with olive oil.  Then, rinse the eggplants and pat dry with a paper towel.  Place on oiled baking sheets and brush tops with olive oil.  Bake for 10-15 min. until lightly browned and cooked through.  Transfer to a bowl.  Turn oven down to 350ºF.)

2. Slice the zucchini in lengthwise slices about 1/3" thick. Heat 2 T olive oil in nonstick skillet over med-high heat and add the zucchini in a single layer (you'll have to do it in batches). Cook for about 3 min, until lightly browned. Flip over and cook for another 3 min. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 T olive oil over med heat and add the onions Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 min., and add the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 min. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, sugar, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30-45 min. stirring occasionally. The mixture should be thick and very fragrant. Stir in pepper and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust salt. Discard the bay leaf and cloves if you can see them. When the mixture has cooled slightly, stir in the parsley.

4. Heat oven to 350ºF. Oil a 3-qt baking or gratin dish. Make an even layer of half the potatoes (or eggplant) over the bottom. Top with half the zucchini. Pour on all the tomato sauce and spread out evenly. Top with all the artichoke hearts in a layer, then the remaining zucchini and, finally, the potatoes. Bake for 30 min.

5. Make the topping: Beat together the eggs and yogurt, season with salt (about 1/2 t), pepper, and a pinch of paprika, and pour over the top. Sprinkle on the cheese in an even layer. Bake for another 25-30 minutes, until golden. Serve warm. (I had to put mine under the broiler for just 1-2 minutes to get the top to be a nice even golden color.)

Advance Preparation: The tomato sauce (step 3) will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator. The moussaka can be assembled a day or two before baking and refrigerated (without the egg and yogurt topping). It can also be frozen. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Leftovers: The moussaka will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a low oven or microwave.

From Mediterranean Harvest, by Martha Rose Shulman, pg. 258-260.

Serving idea:  Serve with a tasty Greek salad and whole wheat pita bread and hummus.  Yum.