Ingredients:
Milk infusion
3 cups (750ml) milk
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves, whole
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Meat sauce
1-2 carrots, grated
1 stick celery, finely sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
200g sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
500g lamb mince
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Veggie layer
2 large aubergines (eggplants) sliced
Bechamel Sauce
75g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks
Topping:
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, extra
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C.
Prepare the milk infusion by combining the milk in a pan with the other ingredients and bringing to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling remove from the heat and set aside to infuse.
Place the slices of aubergine on 2 trays lined with baking paper and lightly spray with olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
For the Meat Sauce, heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and add the onion, celery and carrot . Cook gently until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook until browned, using a wooden spoon to break up the lumps of meat. Now add the mushrooms and the garlic, cinnamon, oregano and allspice. Stir to combine and gently cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook gently for about 15 minutes with a lid over the pan, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, make the Bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a medium sized pan, then withdraw from the heat and mix in the flour. Now place back on the heat and cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring all the while. Remove from the heat again and gradually add the strained infused milk, stirring until smooth. I use a wooden spoon out of habit, but a balloon whisk may well be easier. Return to the heat and bring to the boil over a medium heat and stirring continuously until the sauce thickens, for about 3 minutes. Once thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and the egg yolks.
Assemble the Moussaka in a greased 2.5 litre oven proof dish. Layering half the meat sauce, then half the aubergine followed by a second layer of each. Top with the Bechamel sauce and sprinkle with an extra 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve with a green vegetable such as broccolini or a green salad. .
Milk infusion
3 cups (750ml) milk
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves, whole
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Meat sauce
1-2 carrots, grated
1 stick celery, finely sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
200g sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
500g lamb mince
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Veggie layer
2 large aubergines (eggplants) sliced
Bechamel Sauce
75g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks
Topping:
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, extra
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C.
Prepare the milk infusion by combining the milk in a pan with the other ingredients and bringing to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling remove from the heat and set aside to infuse.
Place the slices of aubergine on 2 trays lined with baking paper and lightly spray with olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
For the Meat Sauce, heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and add the onion, celery and carrot . Cook gently until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook until browned, using a wooden spoon to break up the lumps of meat. Now add the mushrooms and the garlic, cinnamon, oregano and allspice. Stir to combine and gently cook until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook gently for about 15 minutes with a lid over the pan, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, make the Bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a medium sized pan, then withdraw from the heat and mix in the flour. Now place back on the heat and cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring all the while. Remove from the heat again and gradually add the strained infused milk, stirring until smooth. I use a wooden spoon out of habit, but a balloon whisk may well be easier. Return to the heat and bring to the boil over a medium heat and stirring continuously until the sauce thickens, for about 3 minutes. Once thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and the egg yolks.
Assemble the Moussaka in a greased 2.5 litre oven proof dish. Layering half the meat sauce, then half the aubergine followed by a second layer of each. Top with the Bechamel sauce and sprinkle with an extra 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve with a green vegetable such as broccolini or a green salad. .
