I always wanted to try cooking Moussaka at home but I was worried It may not be as good as the restaurant food and I’ll end up disappointed! However once I found some wonderful and fresh aubergines in the shop, I knew I had to give it a try and it was wonderful.

There are many different recipes for Moussaka and I modified mine a bit in order to reduce the amount of fat and make it slightly light without compromising the flavour. I was very happy with the final results and it tasted very much like the ones I had before.

Enjoy:-)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium Onions, finely chopped
• 2 medium Potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
• 4 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely
• 500 g/ 17.5 Oz lean Lamb/ Beef, minced
• 2 tbsp Tomato puree
• 400 g/ 14 Oz can of chopped Tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
• 2 tbsp chopped Oregano
• 3 large Aubergines, peeled and sliced
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 50 g/ 1.7 Oz Butter
• 75 g/ 2.6 Oz plain Flour
• 600 ml Milk
• 4 tbsp light Olive Oil
• 50 g/ 1.7 Oz Parmesan, grated
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
• Salt and Pepper

Method:

• Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and fry onion and garlic for 5 minutes until soft and lightly coloured.
• Add the mince meat to the onion mixture and brown for 4-5 minutes.
• Add tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, cinnamon and oregano and season well. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer the meat for 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergine slices for 3-4 minutes on each side. Drain the fried aubergines on some paper towels to get rid of excess oil.
• To make the sauce: Add the flour gradually to cold milk while stirring continuously. Once completely mixed, Heat the mixture in a pan and add the butter, cheese and nutmeg. Mix well until everything is well combined and heated but not boiling. Leave the mixture to cool for 10 minutes, then add the beaten eggs and mix well.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/ Gas Mark 6/ 390 F.
• Place a layer of aubergine at the bottom of a baking dish before placing a layer of sliced potatoes. pour some of the meat sauce over the potatoes. Repeat the process with the remaining aubergine, potato and meat sauce.
• Pour the white sauce over the layers in the baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden on top.
• Serve with green salad.