Moussaka with Roasted Aubergines and Ricotta
This recipe is
a Greek classic, but the little hint of
Serves : 6
Ingredients:
1lb / 450g Minced English Lamb
2 Medium-Sized Aubergines
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Medium Onions,
peeled and chopped
small
2 Cloves Garlic,
peeled and chopped
1 Heaped tbsp Chopped Fresh Mint
1 Heaped tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Level tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Rounded
tbsp Tomato Purée
3 floz / 75ml Red Wine
Salt and Freshly
Milled Black Pepper
FOR THE TOPPING:
9oz / 250g Ricotta
10 floz / 275ml Whole Milk
1oz / 25g Plain Flour
1oz / 25g Butter
¼ Whole Nutmeg,
grated
1 Bay Leaf
1 Large Egg
1 Level tbsp Grated Parmesan
(Parmigiano Reggiano)
Salt and Freshly
Milled Black Pepper
Instructions:
1.
First of
all you need to prepare the aubergines to get
rid of their high water content and concentrate their flavour. To do this,
remove the stalks and, leaving the skins on, cut them into approximately 1½
inch / 4cm chunks.
2.
Then place
them in a colander and sprinkle them with about 1 level dessertspoon of salt.
3.
Now put a
plate on top of them and weigh it down with something heavy, then put another
plate underneath to catch the juices.
4.
Leave them
like this for 1 hour.
5.
Then,
shortly before the end of this time, pre-heat the oven to its highest setting.
6.
When the
hour is up, squeeze out any of the excess juice from the aubergines with
your hands and dry them as thoroughly as you can in a clean cloth.
7.
Next,
spread them out on the baking sheet, drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over them
and toss them around to get a good coating.
8.
Now pop
the baking sheet in the oven and roast the aubergines for 30
minutes or until they are tinged brown at the edges.
9.
Meanwhile,
heat the remaining olive
oil in your largest frying pan and fry the onions and garlic gently for about
5 minutes.
10.
After that,
turn the heat up high, add the minced lamb and brown it
for a few minutes, turning it and keeping it on the move.
11.
Now cook
the whole lot, stirring all the time, for 2 – 3 minutes.
12.
Then
reduce the heat and, in a small bowl, mix the mint, parsley, cinnamon, tomato purée and red
wine.
13.
When
they're thoroughly combined, pour them over the meat, season well and
cook the whole lot very gently for about 20 minutes, stirring from time to time
so it doesn't catch on the base of the pan.
14.
Now remove
the aubergines
from the oven and reduce the temperature to Gas Mark 4 / 350°F / 180°C. It's a
good idea to leave the oven door open to cool it down a bit.
15.
Next, make
the topping by placing the milk,
flour, butter, nutmeg and bay leaf in a
saucepan.
16.
Using a
balloon whisk, whisk over a medium heat until everything comes up to simmering
point and the sauce becomes smooth and glossy.
17.
Now turn
the heat down to its lowest setting and let the sauce cook gently for 5
minutes.
18.
Then taste
and season, discarding the bay leaf, remove
the saucepan from the heat and let it cool a little before whisking in the ricotta and egg.
19.
Give it a
good whisk to blend everything thoroughly.
20.
Finally,
combine the roasted aubergines
with the meat mixture
and transfer it all to the baking dish.
21.
Then pour
the topping over, sprinkle the surface with the Parmesan and bake on
the centre shelf of the oven for 50 minutes, by which time the top will be
golden brown.
22.
Let it
stand for 10 minutes to settle, then serve with brown rice and a
Greek-style salad of cucumber,
tomatoes, olives and crumbled Feta cheese dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
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