Lentil Moussakaby
Ingredients
- 3 large eggplants
- olive oil to brush
- sea salt & pepper to sprinkle
- for the lentil mixture:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- pinch of cinnamon
- sea salt & pepper to taste
- for the béchamel sauce (*see recipe notes):
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- sea salt & pepper to taste
- pinch of nutmeg
- vegan cheese to taste (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 390° f/200° c and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper
Slice each eggplant lengthwise into 4 pieces
Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick slices
Arrange all slices in a single layer on the baking sheets and brush lightly with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly brown
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat
Add the onion & garlic and sauté for about 4-5 minutes
Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, all spices, and salt & pepper to taste
Finally, add the cooked lentils and let simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes
For the béchamel sauce, add the plant-based milk to a pan/skillet
Mix in the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, and whisk
Add the vegan butter and bring the mixture to a boil
Let simmer on low heat for a few minutes until it thickens
Whisk continuously
Remove from heat
Check the recipe notes if you don't want to make the béchamel sauce
Grease a 13"x9" (33x23 cm) or larger baking dish and arrange half of the potato and eggplant slices on the bottom of the baking dish
Top with the lentil mixture, followed by the remaining potato/eggplant slices (see photo above in the blog post)