This is quite a long recipe but is actually a very quick and easy meal to make. All you need is a Bolognese sauce, a white sauce and some moussaka vegetables.
Firstly prepare the vegetables required for the moussaka
Take 2 large potatoes, (we used bakers but any would do). You need to peel then cut into 1cm slices and part boil. Place to one side.
If you like aubergines include them, if you don't just use extra potatoes. If you like them at the same time as the potatoes are part boiling crush a few juniper berries and mix in with some olive oil. If you don't have juniper berries then don't worry just use some garlic in the olive oil. Take your Aubergine (1 large or 1 small) cut into 2 cm slices. Put on a oiled making tray and brush them both sides with the olive oil (juniper mix) bake in oven for 20 minutes on a medium heat until soft.
While these are cooking prepare the Tomato Bolognese sauce. In a large saucepan. Go for your favourite recipe and add the suggested spices or follow these instructions.
Take one onion chopped into small pieces and two cloves garlic crushed and fry them off in a little veg or olive oil.
Add into this 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of mixed spice and stir well
Then add into this either lambs mince, (750g), or a bag of quorn (300g ish) or cooked green lentils (300g ish)or like we did a mix of quorn and lentils, half and half.
Cook this off until (if you are using meat) it is browned, approximately 5 minutes should be good. If you are using just lentils then add the following immediately.
1 tablespoon of tomato purée , 1 tin of tomatoes chopped, 1 glass of red wine or an additional tin of tomatoes. Then add a selection of chopped herbs, we added sage, oregano, thyme, parsley and a good amount of mint.
Cook this sauce down until the majority of the liquid has gone like you would have in a Bolognese sauce
Whilst this is bubbling away the liquid create the white sauce. I create a traditional but thick white sauce of 50g melted butter, stir in 50g flour (works well with gluten free) and then add 325 ml of milk. Once the white sauce is created if you want it to be a little more opulent add a tub of ricotta. Finally stir in about 50g of grated cheddar or hard cheese.
Put to one size to cool a little then stir into the White sauce one beaten egg.
Take a ovenproof dish (this is enough for 8 portions so use 1 or 2 dishes depending on size). Put into the dish(s) a layer of the Bolognese sauce. Then a layer of potatoes, then aubergine, then repeat. Finally add a topping of white sauce and some grated cheese. Cook for 30-40 minutes in a medium oven.
Leave for 5 minutes to cool a little and then serve with whatever veggies you have. We chose carrots, beans and rocket. If you have made too much for one meal, allow to cool and freeze the other portions for an easy microwave meal for another day.
I know you all love the recipe but in money saving news the 8 portions of moussaka cost approximately £7 to prepare and the side dishes at about 50p per person with items from Aldi, Lidl and Asda featuring.
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