This recipe makes your veggies taste like heaven! Béchamel is great combination with vegetables and when its dairy free its lighter and tastier.
I enjoy preparing this for my family or friends and because usually everybody likes béchamel it’s a plate that can satisfy even meat lovers.
- 4 eggplants
- 2 big zucchini or 4 small
- 10 mushrooms
- Olive oil for brushing the vegetables
- ½ cup (50gr) breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Garlic powder (up to taste)
- Salt, pepper
Tomato sauce:
- ⅓ cup (100 gr) tomato paste
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 1 big very mature tomato
- ½ teaspoon oregano
Béchamel:
- 1 Liter rice milk
- 1½ cup whole-wheat flour
- ¼ cup (60 gr) olive oil
- Nutmeg (up to taste)
- Salt, pepper
- Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
- Cut the vegetables lengthwise into thin slices and put first the eggplants on baking sheet.
- Brush both sides with a little olive oil and sprinkle oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.
- Place zucchinis and mushrooms in baking sheet drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper and bake for 10 minutes.
- In a blender put all the ingredients for the tomato sauce, mix well and set aside.
- Put the milk and the remaining ingredients of Béchamel in a large skillet, bring in to boil, whisk until it bubbles, then reduce heat to low and cook until thickened, stirring frequently.
To assemble:
- In an ovenproof dish arrange the eggplants slices across its base and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Then layer the zucchinis and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs.
- Finally layer the mushrooms with the remaining eggplants and sprinkle with breadcrumbs (save some breadcrumbs for topping).
- Pour the tomato sauce over the vegetables and last pour béchamel sauce.
- Top it with the remaining breadcrumbs.
- In a pre-heated oven bake for 35 minutes to 180°C and then another 5 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from oven. Allow to cool for at least 1 hour.
- Cut into pieces, serve and enjoy!
WINE SUGGESTION
With this vegan version of Moussaka used alternative ingredients to create the classic flavors that will melt in your mouth, make you feel that will leave you wanting more. The Eggplant is such a filling and versatile vegetable and because it’s slightly sweeter, it gives added depth to dishes. For this recipe especially in wintertime I would crave a Woodsy Pinot noir from Burgundy, which enjoys such ingredients and will explode all the flavors in your mouth.
Trust me you will want an extra glass to congratulate yourself along with this super healthy & delicious meal.
