Along with being a Mom, I’m also a student, taking 5 college classes: English Lit, Sociology, Biological Psychology, Math, and French. Don’t call me Wonder Woman, call me crazy: I’m Dog Tired. Feeling a little sorry for myself today, I made a rustic dish to make me feel like I was wrapping up in a cozy blanket of yummyness.  I couldn’t turn down the plump aubergines (eggplant) or the wild mushrooms at the market today, so went for  a nice veggie Moussaka. Served with a herb salad on the side and a glass of Malbec, hello, I was back in business!

Eggplant and Mushroom Moussaka

2 medium aubergines (eggplant), sliced
4 tbs good olive oil
1 meium onion sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb wild mushrooms, roughly sliced
1 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes, drained
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
3 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbs dried marjoram and thyme
3 medium potatoes, cooked until tender, peeled and sliced
1cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to season

Bechamel Sauce
2 cups cows milk or Soy milk
2 oz ricotta cheese
3 tbs unsalted butter
3 tbs plain flour
pinch of nutmeg
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the aubergines with olive oil with 3 tbs of olive oil. Lay onto two baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes.
2. In a frying pan, saute the onions and garlic until soft on medium to low heat. Add the tomatoes, parsley, marjoram, thyme, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
3. Make the bechamel sauce: Using a sauce pan, melt the butter, and add the flour, stirring frequently to avoid lumps. Stir in the milk slowly stirring all the until the sauce thickens. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper, and ricotta cheese. Turn off the heat and cover.
4. Layer the moussaka in a greased Lasagne dish: sliced potatoes, tomatoes, aubergine. Before you put on the last layer of aubergine, pour on the bechamel sauce, sprinkle on the cheese, and finally top with the last aubergine slices. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves 8

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