Hearty moussaka for cooler nights

Hearty moussaka for cooler nights

Ingredients

2 large aubergines, thinly sliced

Salt

About 200ml olive oil

4 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

3 green peppers, cored and sliced

1kg beef or lamb mince

2 onions, finely chopped

2 x 400g cans peeled tomatoes, drained

45ml (3 tbsp) tomato paste

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

10ml (2 tsp) dried origanum

45ml (3 tbsp) sherry

Bechamel sauce

600ml milk

1 small carrot, sliced

1 small onion, sliced

2 celery sticks, sliced

3 whole black peppercorns

Pinch of ground nutmeg

60ml (cup) butter

60ml (cup) cake flour

500ml (2 cups) cheddar cheese, grated

4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Juice of 1 small lemon

Method

Sprinkle aubergines with salt and drain in a colander for 20 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Brush with olive oil and grill on both sides, until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

Heat about 5cm oil in a large pan and fry potatoes until just soft. Drain on paper towel. Fry green peppers in same oil until soft. Drain on paper towel. Fry mince until brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Add a little oil to the pan and fry the onions until soft. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic and origanum. Return the mince to the pan and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sherry and season. In a deep, oven-proof dish, make layers of mince, aubergine, potato and green pepper, ending with mince.

For the sauce, infuse the milk with the carrot, onion, celery, peppercorns and nutmeg for 30 minutes. Strain. Melt the butter in a pot, add the flour and stir until smooth. Add the milk and stir until thickened. Stir in cheese, eggs and lemon juice. Pour over moussaka and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45-60 minutes.

Serves 6-8