Moussaka

IT COULDN’T be anything but a typical Greek recipe for this week’s column. Personally, I can’t wait for the match, and if you are not one of the lucky and few ticket holders, here is a great dish to eat while watching the game.

Moussaka is a classic Greek dish which includes aubergine and lamb – many variations include potatoes as well, which is my preference. It can be made the day before and then re-baked just as you would do with a lasagne.

There are three parts to making a moussaka – making a white and tomato sauce, pan frying slices of aubergine, and finishing with some grated cheese and bread crumbs. It is great with a green salad tossed in a little olive oil as all the vegetables are already in the dish.

To celebrate, this dish will be on at the Olive Press and even my enthusiastic Italian manager, Marco Ficini, is cheering on Liverpool; however, he still has some convincing that the moussaka is better than his mother’s lasagne.

MOUSSAKA

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

Good dash olive oil

1 large onion finely diced

2 cloves garlic

600g minced lamb or mutton

Tablespoon of chopped oregano

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp tomato puree

250ml lamb or chicken stock

Salt & pepper

2 large peeled potatoes

2 aubergines sliced 1cm thick

Flour for dusting

6 medium tomatoes sliced 1cm thick

50g breadcrumbs

50g grated parmesan cheese

For the sauce

85g butter

85g flour

900ml hot milk

METHOD

1. Add a dash of olive oil to a thick bottomed pan and gently fry the onion and garlic without colour before adding the minced lamb, oregano and bay leaf. Continue to fry for about 2-3 minutes until all the meat is sealed all over.

2. Stir in the tomato puree before adding the stock and simmer on a low heat for about 15 minutes until quite dry. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Transfer to an earthenware dish.

4. Cut the potatoes into half, place in a saucepan and cover with water, bring to the boil and cook until firm but not totally cooked. Drain and allow to cool.

5. Dust the aubergines with a little plain flour and fry until golden brown on both sides, season well with salt and pepper and drain onto kitchen paper.

6. Slice the potatoes into 1cm slices and place over the meat.

7. Slice the tomatoes and layer over the potatoes followed by the aubergines.

You now need to make the white sauce

1. Make by melting the butter in a thick bottomed saucepan and stir in the flour to make a “roux”, slowly stir in the hot milk a little at a time making sure it is well incorporated before adding further liquid, season with salt and pepper.

2. Finally pour over the aubergines, top with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and bake at 180°C for about 30-40 minutes until golden brown and serve.

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