Mini Stuffed Moussaka Boats (Eggplants Stuffed w/ Moussaka)

Today was a pretty day here -- cool, breezy, and sunny on and off throughout the day.  Hubby had a meeting to attend most of the day, which left me time to shop and play around in the kitchen!  I decided to get a head start on dinner to have it ready beforehand so hubby and I could take our walk before dinner and it would be waiting for us when we got done.  I had 5 beautiful small Italian style eggplants that I wanted to do something with...so I decided to convert them into Mini Stuffed Moussaka Boats...Greek food is one of my favorites -- everything is so fresh. Instead of layering the moussaka in a casserole the traditional way, I decided to halve the small eggplants, roast them, scoop out the eggplant flesh and make the traditional meat filling, mixed in with the chopped eggplant pulp, some feta cheese and then stuff it all back into the hollowed out eggplant shells, top with my grain free "bechamel sauce" and bake.  I tossed in a couple handfuls of fresh grape tomatoes to roast along with the Mini Stuffed Moussaka Boats.  They turned out delicious and made a beautiful presentation when served.  I snapped a few photos below for you to see along with the recipe.  Enjoy!

Voila!

This is how it all began... 

Here's a closer peek...

Eggplants have been stuffed with the meat filling...waiting to be topped with "bechamel"...

Topped with the "bechamel" and sprinkled with Parmesan...ready to pop in the oven

Fresh out of the oven...

BOOM!

Mini Stuffed Moussaka Boats (Eggplants Stuffed w/ Moussaka)

INGREDIENTS:

5 small Italian style eggplants (halved lengthwise)

Olive oil (as needed)

1 lb lean ground beef (or lamb)

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
8 ounces crumbled feta cheese (about 1 cup)

“Bechamel” Cheese Sauce

1 lb. ricotta

2 eggs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for sprinkling on top)

Nutmeg, dash

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush bottom of a 9" x 13” baking dish or similar sized casserole dish with olive oil and set aside. Place halved eggplants on a baking sheet, cut side up; brush cut side with olive oil and season with salt to taste. Bake for 20 minutes or until flesh is fork tender. Let cool for a few minutes until cool enough to handle. Using a spoon, scoop out eggplant flesh, leaving a very thin wall of flesh against the eggplant's skin so they maintain their shape and can be stuffed. Chop the eggplant flesh and set aside (it will be added to the cooked meat mixture later).

In a large skillet, brown beef; add onions and cook stirring until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are soft and translucent; add garlic and cook a few minutes more. Add tomato sauce, oregano, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste), black pepper (to taste) and fresh parsley; simmer uncovered about 10 minutes (you don’t want much liquid left). When liquid is almost completely gone, remove from heat; cool for about 10 minutes while you prepare the bechamel sauce.  

Bechamel/Cheese Sauce:  In a medium bowl, whisk ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and dash of nutmeg together until smooth and well blended; add salt and pepper to taste, if desired (the Parmesan cheese is salty, so be careful not to over salt).  

Stir the feta cheese and the chopped cooked eggplant flesh into the meat mixture. Using a spoon, divide the filling evenly between the eggplant shells and fill until slightly mounded. Place filled shells in prepared baking dish. Spoon bechamel sauce on top of each filled eggplant half and lightly spread it to cover the meat filling. Lightly sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese on top of each, if desired. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. If desired, run under the broiler for a few minutes to lightly brown the tops. Let sit about 10 minutes or so to set. Serves approximately 4 to 5. 

*Note:  Even though you may not think 8 ounces of tomato sauce is enough; the tomato sauce is simply being used to flavor the meat and keep it moist, it isn't supposed to be like lasagna's meat sauce.  If you don't like the idea of adding cinnamon to the meat mixture, you can omit it; however it is the unique flavor that I think "makes this dish". Also, it is imperative to cook your eggplant until completely fork tender -- this is not a vegetable that is pleasant undercooked (unless you like chewing on erasers).