European Moussaka

This dish is geat for dinner, very easy to make and you have simply with a green salid. 

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

90 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 5 medium (about 400g each) eggplant, ends trimmed, cut lengthways into 1cm-thick slices
• 60mls (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 500g fresh ricotta
• 350g Greek feta, crumbled
• Salt & ground black pepper, to taste
• 45g (1/2 cup) dried (packaged) breadcrumbs
• 55g (1/2 cup) freshly grated Parmesan

Lamb filling

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 medium brown onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 800g lamb mince
• 1 x 800g can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained, mashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbs ground cinnamon
• 1 tbs dried thyme
• 1 tbs dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg

Method

1. To make the lamb filling: heat the olive oil in large wide-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until soft but not coloured.
2. Increase heat to high and add the lamb mince. Cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes or until browned. Reduce heat to medium, add the tomatoes, bay leaf, cinnamon, thyme, oregano and nutmeg. Simmer, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until some of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened.
3. Meanwhile, preheat grill on high.
4. Place some of the eggplant slices on a grill tray or baking tray in a single layer, brush with a little of the olive oil and cook under preheated grill for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Turn the eggplant slices, brush again with the olive oil and cook for a further 4 minutes or until browned and tender. Transfer the cooked sliced to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining eggplant slices and olive oil. Set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
6. Place the ricotta and feta in a bowl and use a fork to mash until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Sprinkle 1/2 the breadcrumbs evenly over the base of a 7cm deep, 21 x 26cm (base measurement) (3.25L/13 cup-capacity) ovenproof dish. Lay 1/2 of the eggplant slices over the breadcrumbs then spread the lamb mixture over. Sprinkle with 1/2 the Parmesan, top with the remaining eggplant and then spread the ricotta mixture over. Sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until heated through and golden on top. Remove from oven and stand for 5 minutes to cool slightly before serving.
9. Enjoy, MMMMMM

Notes & tips

• Microwave tip: to make the lamb filling, cook the olive oil, onions and garlic in a large heat-resistant, microwave-safe dish uncovered, for 1-2 minutes on High/850watts/100% or until the onions are soft. Add the lamb mince and cook for 6-8 minutes on Medium-High/650watts/70%, stirring every minute to break up the mince. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, cinnamon, thyme, oregano and nutmeg. Cook, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes on Medium/500watts/50% or until the sauce has thickened.
• Reheating: the moussaka can be made a day in advance. Only cook it for 30 minutes and then allow it to cool to room temperature before covering with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge. To reheat, allow the moussaka to come to room temperature. Remove plastic wrap and place the dish in an oven preheated to 160 degrees C for 35 minutes.

(source: taste.com.au)