Sad Aubergine Lamb Moussaka

Serves: 5-6

 

INGREDIENTS

2 aubergines, diced into about 1-centimetre pieces

about 1⁄2 kilo of lamb from what's left from the leg of lamb roast, cut into about 1-centimetre pieces - if you don't have heaps, use more aubergine

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped

1⁄4-1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon coriander

1 bay leaf

1⁄2 teaspoon thyme

1⁄2 teaspoon oregano

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon tomato paste

salt and pepper

Sauce

a couple of cups of milk

50 grams butter

50 grams flour

pinch nutmeg

30 grams crumbled feta/Parmesan/cheddar

250 grams ricotta

1 egg

 

METHOD

Preheat oven to fan bake 200°C. Sprinkle aubergine pieces with salt and leave for 30 minutes, then rinse in a colander and dry with a tea towel.

Cook the aubergine in a baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil, roast for about 30 minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn, then remove and set aside.

Turn oven down to 165°C. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and heat the lamb in this. Add garlic, cayenne pepper, cumin, cinnamon and coriander to the lamb and stir for 1-2 minutes.

Add herbs, bay leaf, tomatoes, paste and stir all together. Sluice out your can of tomatoes with a little water and add this to the pan of lamb.

Turn it down and simmer for 30 minutes, covered. To make the sauce, melt butter, add flour then slowly add milk until thickened.

Season and add cheese and ricotta, then stir. Leave to cool. Once cooked, whisk the egg into the white sauce and add the pinch of nutmeg.

Place lamb mixture in baking dish, then aubergine - you can do it like a lasagne and layer with the aubergine as the "lasagne sheets" but I just put it all together.

Pour the sauce evenly over the meat and aubergine mixture and bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes. I like to serve it with fried potatoes or crusty bread and a simple green salad.