Light moussakas with yoghurt and egg topping

A different version of the popular Greek dish but still so delicious! The vegetables are not fried but roasted. Beside the aubergines, courgettes (instead of potatoes) are added in this recipe and instead of the classic béchamel sauce a mixture of yoghurt and eggs make a nice golden crust on top

Adapted from a recipe of Myrssini Lambraki,

a Head Cook and Food Author

"Gastronomos" magazine of "KATHIMERINI" newspaper (2009)

Ingredients (for 4-5 people):
5 large plum aubergines
5 large courgettes
1Kg of lean ground beef (or ground chicken)
1 glass of white dry wine (optional -my addition)
1/2 tsp of ground allspice (optional -my addition)
2 tbsp of olive oil + some more for the vegetables
1 large yellow onion, grated
3 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp of tomato paste
salt
pepper
some grated hard/salty cheese for sprinkling

For the yoghurt/egg topping:
2 pots of Greek yoghurt (175-200gr. each), of 2% fat
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of cornflour (cornstarch), dissolved in 8 tbsp of milk
1 pinch of ground nutmeg

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Cut the aubergines and the courgettes lengthwise into 2cm thick slices. Put in a spacious baking dish, season with salt and brush with oil. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. When ready, take out of the oven and leave aside.

***Keep the oven switched on at the same temperature.

In a saucepan put the grated onion along with 1/2 tea-cup of water and simmer on low heat until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Then add in the saucepan 2 tbsp of oil and the ground meat. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until the meat changes colour.

Pour over with the wine (if used) and leave for a bit until the alcohol evaporates. Then add the tomato paste, the parsley, the allspice (if used) and season with salt and pepper.

Simmer the meat for 7-8 minutes, stirring constantly.Brush with some oil a medium-size pyrex dish (or oven pan). Put a layer of the roast aubergines on the bottom, followed by a layer of courgettes and finally a thin layer of the meat mixture. Continue to put layers in the same order until all the ingredients are used, ending with a layer of meat on top.

For the topping, put in a large bowl the yoghurt, the eggs, the oil, the milk and the nutmeg. Mix thoroughly with a whisk until the ingredients come together. Spread the mixture over the last layer of meat, making sure to cover the entire surface.

Sprinkle on top with some grated cheese and put in the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a nice golden crust is formed on the top.

Better if served at room temperature.