Veggie Moussaka

This is popular all over Greece and I had an amazing one in Athens.  It’s basically another type of lasagna-style dish but instead of pasta, you use aubergine to separate the layers.  Basically my dream!  It takes a bit of time to assemble so I would make it the day before and it’s amazing for a dinner party.  Store in the fridge and just bake it before your guests arrive!  Serves with greens and a nice light salad to balance things. 

Vegetarian

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

2 medium aubergine, sliced lengthways into 1cm pieces

2 tsp dried oregano

4 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

For the filling:

2 tsp olive oil

340g white/brown mushrooms, diced and dry fried in batches for 6-7 mins

1 carrot, diced

1 white onion, diced

6 garlic cloves (30g), diced

1 tbsp tomatoes purée

1 tsp dried oregano

Small bunch basil, stem finely chopped

100ml red wine

2 bay leaves

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

150ml tinned tomatoes

270ml veg stock, hot

1 tsp soya sauce

For the béchamel:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp plain / spelt flour

290ml whole milk

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

60g grated Grana Padano, plus extra for topping

Preheat the oven to 190 C degrees.  Dress aubergine with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano and divide between two baking trays.  Roast for 25 mins or until soft and golden turning the slices over midway cooking. 

For the filling, dry fry the diced mushrooms in batches for 6-7mins in a frying pan without oil until soft and reduced in size.  Put to one side. Set a large saucepan to a medium to high heat and add the olive oil, onion and carrot.  Fry for 5 mins and then add garlic, tomato purée, oregano and basil stalks.  Fry for 2 mins before pouring over red wine and cook for another 2mins. Next add bay leaves, both tomatoes and stock.  Bring to boil and then down to a simmer and then cover the pan leaving a small gap for 20 mins.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add mushrooms and cook for another 3 mins.  Stir through soya sauce. 

For the white sauce, set a small saucepan to a medium heat and add the butter to melt.  Then add the flour and whisk together until it bubbles but doesn’t go brown. About 2 mins!  Then whisk in the milk and nutmeg increasing the heat.  Whisk for about 3-4mins until the sauce thickens and the flour taste has disappeared.  Mix in the grated cheese and then salt and pepper to taste.  

Use a 9 inch square baking tin and coat in a spoon of olive oil.  Add a layer of aubergine followed by a 2-3cm layer of the sauce.  Tear over some basil leaves and spread over half of the béchamel.  Then add more aubergine, sauce, basil and top with aubergine.  Lastly, add the rest of the béchamel, grate over some cheese, pepper and a splash of olive oil.  Bake at 190 C degrees for 20 mins.  Eat straight away!