Vegetarian tsompleki

Posted on Jun 23, 2010 in Main Dishes | 0 comments

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggplants (flask) into thick slices
• 2 zucchini cut into thin slices (lengthwise)
• 3 peppers Florinis roasted and cut in the middle
• 3 horn peppers roasted and cut in the middle
• 2 tomatoes (thinly sliced)
• 6 large thick slices of potato
• 1/3 cup olive oil

For the tomato sauce

• 3-4 moderately tight ripe chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium dry onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic (pulp)
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 3-4 grains allspice
• 3-4 grains of black pepper

• 100 gr. feta cheese 100 gr. traditional kasseri (cheddar)
• some grated batzo cheese (traditional spicy-salty cheese of Pella) or kefalotiri cheese (parmesan)
• some grated kefalograviera
• salt – pepper
• chopped parsley (for serving)

In the prefecture of Pella, Tsompleki is traditionally made with meat, vegetables and cheese in a clay pot.
The name of the food was given cause the use of a clay pot (=lakfitsa or tsompleki).
Favorite food, especially on days of fasting to avoid meat, with just vegetables and cheese pieces, an alternative suggestion for those who are vegetarians, it is so delicious that no one gets that meat is missing .

METHOD

1. Slice and salt the vegetables slightly.
2. For a healthier version of add some olive oil in the sliced vegetables, place them in wax paper and cook at the grill, placing the pan in the middle of the frieze cooker. If you want, you can fry them. (Be careful to lightly browned and almost cooked.)
3. Saute onion into 2-3 tbs oil, add garlic and tomatoes, bay leaf and spices and a little salt. Let them drink all the liquid of the sauce.
4. In a clay dish with a lid, put ingredients in the order (a large of potato washer, a washer of eggplant, 2 slices zucchini crosswise or side-by-side, half red and green peppers, a washer of feta cheese, a washer of tomato and on top grated batzo cheese and kefalograviera).
5. Between each layer of vegetables, put a spoonful of the tomato sauce.
6. Pour sauce (if there is any left) over in the clay dish and close with the lid and bake for about half an hour at 200oC, for 45′ (depending on thickness of clay).
7. But if you have time you can leave it for 5′-10′ at 200oC and then at 130oC for 30′, to soften all the material and tie together.
8. If cooked in a Pyrex or metal baking pan with a lid or parchment paper will need less time, approximately 15′-20′.
9. For convenience you can put all the raw ingredients in layers in a clay pot and to bake with closed lid, so that the food is cooked with fluids. But in this version it takes 2h-3h at 180oC.