Moussaka

When I was a student, I had two Greek housemates who introduced me to foods I hadn't tried before, such as patstitsio and moussaka. I'm afraid I can't remember exactly how they made moussaka, so I've invented my own version of possibly dubious authenticity. I remember nostalgically the giant vats of heavenly Greek olive oil they used to bring back after Christmas, the like of which I cannot get here. I also remember the incredibly loud conversations in Greek that they had in the kitchen. At first, their raised voices and wild hand gestures made me think they were having a very bitter argument. Eventually, I intervened and asked them what was the matter. They blinked a bit and told me they were having a perfectly calm discussion about the books they liked. I think they thought I was very Anglo and uptight.

Another doubtless inauthentic touch is how I pre-cook the eggplant. I thought for many years that I didn't like eggplant, because it seemed slimy in texture, and took absolutely gallons of oil to cook in a frying pan. Then I figured out that you could actually bake it in a fraction of the amount of oil, where it would cook beautifully and not at all slimily. If you don't like it like this, by all means cook it in a frying pan.

Ingredients

extra virgin olive oil

1 large eggplant

1 pound ground lamb (if this is ferociously expensive, I'd substitute lean ground beef; other cheaper ground meats such as pork and turkey would not, I think, be right here)

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped finely

1 can crushed tomatoes (passata, that is)

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 a teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup milk, warmed*

1 cup grated cheddar

1 egg

salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 360 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius).

Slice your eggplant into 1/2 inch rounds. Brush them on both sides with olive oil (or spray them with cooking spray) and lay them in one layer on a large baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for up to 30 minutes, or until soft.

While the eggplant slices are baking, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onion has softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the ground meat and brown it, breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon, until most of the pink has disappeared.

Stir in the oregano, cinnamon, and the first measure of flour, and cook for about a minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and heat until the mixture boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer into an 8x8 baking dish (you'll want one with reasonably tall sides. If you don't have one like this, use a larger dish). 

While the meat mixture is cooking, make your sauce. In a medium pot, melt the butter, add the flour and nutmeg, and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add the warmed milk, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the sauce starts to thicken. If the sauce is lumpy, whisk thoroughly to break them up. Remove from the heat and add the grated cheddar, stirring until it's melted. Add the egg and beat with a whisk.

By now, the eggplant should be ready. Remove it from the oven and layer slices of it artfully over the meat mixture in the baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the of this and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown.

Serves 6. Keeps well in the refrigerator, reheats well.

*The reason you warm the milk is that it makes the sauce less lumpy. By all means use cold milk if you can't be bothered warming it, but you may have to whisk more vigorously to compensate.