Moussaka
I have never been to Greece, yet I am in love with Greek food. Maybe because it is so similar to Italian cuisine? Who knows!
Surely Moussaka reminds me somehow of Parmigiana and it's a good recipe to try when the aubergines season is in full swing.
INGREDIENTS:
2 aubergines
4 boiled potatoes
300g lentils
400ml tomato sauce
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 big carrot
1 celery stalk
Olive oil, salt, black pepper to taste
Herbs such as parsley, bay leaves, oregano
INGREDIENTS for the bechamel:
600ml unsweetened soy milk
50g olive oil
*50g plain flour
Salt, pepper & nutmeg to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Let’s start by soaking the lentils for about 2 hours. Meanwhile, slice the aubergines about 3mm thick, grill them and set aside in a dish.
Boil the potatoes (whole) and once cooled slice them too. Finely dice the carrot, celery stalk, onion and garlic and stir-fry in a pan with a splash of olive oil. Rinse the lentils and add these to the pan. Bring it over a low-medium heat and leave to cook covered with a lid for about 10 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce and taste with salt, black pepper and herbs. Leave it to cook until lentils are tender and add water if the sauce gets too dry. However, once cooked, it will have to be rather thick than liquid.
Whilst the sauce is cooking, you can prepare the bechamel sauce. In a pot bring the soy milk to a boil and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Meanwhile whisk the flour the olive oil. Pour this mixture into the hot milk and stir until the bechamel thickens.
Let’s put together the moussaka: at the bottom of a baking tray, spread 4 to 5 tbsp of bechamel, add a layer of grilled aubergine, season with salt, then add a layer of sliced potatoes and season too. Pour the lentils ragù and spread it evenly. Top with a layer of potatoes + pinch of salt + aubergines and complete with all the remaining bechamel. Bake at 200°C for 30 mins and turn on the grill mode until the surface has a nice golden-brown colour.
*For a gluten-free version replace all-purpose flour with rice flour.
