Moussaka, a layered eggplant casserole, is traditional fare at every Greek taverna, any small restaurant serving Greek cuisine.

Moussaka, a layered eggplant casserole, is traditional fare at every Greek taverna.

Making moussaka brings back memories of delightful evenings in the Plaka district, a charming section of Athens with narrow winding streets filled with tiny restaurants and lots of good cheer.

The dish has hundreds of variations. Usually slices of eggplant and sometimes potatoes are sautéed and layered with a spiced ground meat. The dish is topped with a white sauce flavored with Greek cheese or a yogurt sauce.

For this quick dinner, I have captured the flavors of a traditional moussaka and shortened the recipe by cutting the potatoes and eggplant into small pieces and cooking them separately to form the first layer. The spiced meat becomes the second layer and I topped the dish with yogurt and cheese.

I used Greek feta cheese. It is white, crumbly and has a rich, tangy flavor. Traditional feta is made with sheep's or goat's milk, although today many manufacturers use cow's milk. Grated Parmesan also can be used.

Moussaka is a meal in itself. If you wish, serve it with a salad and crusty whole grain bread. It takes a few minutes longer to make this one-dish meal. The extra time is worth the effort.

This meal contains 556 calories with 23 percent of calories from fat.

Helpful Hints

To save cleaning an extra pan, cook the potatoes and eggplant in a stove-to-oven casserole dish. Or use a regular skillet if the handle can go in the oven and will fit under the broiler.

Countdown

Preheat broiler.

Start potatoes and eggplant.

Make meat.

Complete dish and place under broiler.

Wine suggestions

To be authentic, you might try retsina, a white Greek wine that literally has pine sap added; but it does taste piny, so it's not for everybody.

Olive oil spray½ pound red potatoes, washed and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1¾ cups)¾ pound eggplant, washed and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4½ cups)1 cup frozen diced/chopped onion1 teaspoon minced garlic¾ pound low-fat, ground beef (95 percent lean)3 tablespoons tomato paste½ cup water½ teaspoon ground cinnamonSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 cup non-fat, plain yogurt2 ounces crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese (scant ½ cup)Preheat broiler. Heat a stove-to-oven casserole dish or nonstick skillet over medium heat.Coat with olive oil spray.Add potatoes and eggplant, cover with a lid and sauté 15 minutes, turning the vegetables several times.Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with olive oil spray.Sauté onion and garlic 1 minute. Add ground beef. Sauté 2 minutes breaking up the beef with a spoon. Mix tomato paste and water together and add to meat. Blend well.Add cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 1 minute. Set aside.To assemble dish, add salt and pepper to taste to the potatoes and eggplant.If using a stove-to-oven casserole, spread the meat mixture evenly over the vegetables.Otherwise, spoon potatoes and eggplant into a casserole dish that can go under the broiler. Spread the meat evenly over the vegetables.In either case, spoon yogurt evenly over meat and sprinkle feta cheese on top.Place under broiler for 5 minutes. It will become bubbly and a little brown.Remove and serve.

4-pound brisket, trimmed of fat, cut into 3 or 4 piecesKosher salt and ground black pepper2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil2 cups water15-ounce can tomato sauce1/2 cup ketchup1/2 cup packed brown sugar1/2 cup apricot preserves1/4 cup cider vinegar1 teaspoon cumin1 teaspoon mustard powder1 teaspoon smoked paprika1 teaspoon garlic powderSlider bunsSeason the brisket on all sides with salt and pepper.In a large pressure cooker over medium-high, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the brisket and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until well browned.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the water, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, apricot preserves, vinegar, cumin, mustard powder, paprika and garlic powder. Once the brisket has been seared, add the tomato sauce mixture to the pressure cooker. Move the brisket pieces around to ensure the liquid is both under and over it.Attach the cover of the pressure cooker and seal according to manufacturer directions. Bring up to pressure, then adjust the burner temperature to maintain medium-high pressure. Cook for 1 1/2 hours.Remove the pressure cooker from the heat and place in the sink under cool running water. Once the pressure cooker has cooled enough to open, remove the lid. Test the meat; it should be fork tender. Carefully transfer the meat to a platter and use 2 forks to pull it apart into bite-size chunks.Meanwhile, return the cooker to the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced and thickened. Return the shredded brisket to the cooker and toss well. Serve with slider buns.