Moussaka

Widely recognised as a Greek national dish, but has Arabic roots--well known around the Mediterranean from Greece to Turkey and even Egypt. Heady flavours of cinnamon, rich tomato, delicate lamb and a creamy bechamel topping make for an amazing casserole. A unique dish that will easily become a family favourite. Make a Greek salad alongside and you've got a nutritional, well-rounded dinner solution.

I shamelessly swiped some notes from the amazing Felicity Cloake--who over-researches everything she does, resulting in spectacularly satisfying presentations, that most people probably just glance over. And that's a shame because her efforts are richly rewarding to anyone wanting to learn more about the WHY of cooking. I have several of her books and you should too.

I'm planning to experiment further with this dish by adding a layer of sliced potato as a base. Please let me know if you give this a go--I'd love to hear how it went.

Ingredients

• For the Filling:
• 4 tblspns Extra Virgin Olive Oil (the good stuff)
• 1 large Onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tblspn Cinnamon, ground
• 1 tspn Oregano, dried
• 500g Lamb, minced
• 1 tblspn Tomato Paste, mixed with 50ml water
• 400g can Crushed Tomatoes
• 150ml Red Wine
• A small bunch of Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped
• 4 medium or 3 large Egg Plant, sliced
• For the Bechamel Sauce:
• 500ml Milk
• 60g Butter
• 60g Plain Flour
• 50g Kefalotyri or Pecorino cheese, grated
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• Nutmeg, to grate

Method

1. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the chopped onion until golden and soft. Add the garlic, cinnamon and oregano to the pan and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the lamb. Turn up the heat slightly, and brown the lamb well--a very DEEP brown. Cook until the mixture is quite dry.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, canned tomatoes and wine. Add a half teaspoon of white pepper. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down low and cook for 30–40 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated again. Season with salt and stir in the chopped parsley.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Slice the Egg Plants into 0.5cm slices, and arrange in one layer on oiled baking sheets. Brush with a little olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then bake for about 25 minutes, until they’re soft, golden and floppy (keep an eye on them towards the end, as smaller slices may burn).
4. While they’re cooking, make the sauce: Gently heat the milk in a microwave (but do not allow to boil). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk the flour into the butter and cook for a couple of minutes on medium heat until you lose that raw flour smell, then very gradually whisk in the hot milk until smooth. Simmer gently to make a thick sauce, then add the cheese, stirring it in until melted.
5. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool slightly, then beat in the eggs, season to taste and add slightly more nutmeg than you might think wise (it’s a strong flavour, but this dish can take it – use 1 teaspoon at the very least).
6. Line the base of an ovenproof dish with a third of the Egg Plant, and top with half the meat. Repeat these layers, finishing off with a layer of Egg Plant, then top with the sauce.
7. Bake at 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6 for about 45 minutes, until well browned on top, and leave to cool for 20 minutes before serving.