Moussaka

I just love aubergines and for many years I've only made vegetarian moussaka, which come to think of it I must try again, particularly the version with baby courgettes.

(serves 4)

800 g small to medium potatoes
2 aubergines, sliced
500 g mince (half pork, half beef)
2 small onions, finely chopped
4 - 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt
1 tsp dried herbs, e.g. Oregano, Herbes de Provence
extra virgin olive oil
250 ml semi-skimmed milk
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp of white or wholemeal flour
nutmeg

1. Peel the potatoes. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the potatoes, pepper and salt and boil for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat some oil in a large frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes, then add the herbs and keep sautéing until soft.
3. Add the mince, season with pepper and salt and fry until cooked. Then pour into the base of one or two oven-proof dishes
4. Clean the pan and fry the aubergine slices in batches in olive oil. Layer on top of the mince and season with a little salt and pepper.
5. Now slice the potatoes and place them on top of the aubergines. Sprinkle with a little nutmeg.


6. Now make the béchamel by heating a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the flour and stir until the flour is bubbling lightly. Add the milk and stir until the sauce starts to thicken. Season with pepper and salt. Take the sauce of the heat and add one egg yolk at the time, constantly stirring to prevent it from cooking.
7. Pour the sauce over the potatoes. Cover the dish(es) with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes at 200-220° C/gas mark 5-6.

Believe it or not, this is actually quite a light dish as it doesn't have a lot of sauce. You may also double the quantity of béchamel and pour some of it onto the mince.