USE-WHAT-YOU-HAVE MOUSSAKÁ

Posted on May 18, 2021 Updated on May 18, 2021

As a person who grew up in Greece I get asked for Moussaka recipes all the time. Moussaká is really as diverse as each household. Go to http://www.instagram.com/lias_kitchen to read what differentiates Moussaká from other bakes!

In this post we want to demystify one of the most popular dishes of modern Greek cooking. My usual béchamel sauce is one where milk is flavoured with mace or nutmeg in advance and then slowly heated whilst you slowly add flour, butter and one egg. Not really a roux method but something we call Kourkoúti. But to make things simple for you we recommend you make a béchamel (or morney) sauce you know how to make and have provided a link to a BBC recipe.

In the past year I have made Moussaka with what I have. I always have uncooked lentils in my store cupboard and love using them for a vegetarian, use-what-you-have version of the dish. Use 300 to 500g of minced beef if that’s what you prefer. The authentic Moussaka in my mum’s kitchen uses two layers of aubergine but potato is just fine particularly when your vegetable box has too many potatoes you need to use up.

Enjoy our delicious recipe below!

What:

⁃ 3/4 to 1 cup or mug uncooked lentils (brown or green or black)

⁃ 1 onion, chopped

⁃ 3 allspice berries, crushed (optional)

⁃ 1/2 cup white wine

⁃ 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely shopped

⁃ 1 tin chopped tomatoes

⁃ 500ml hot water (2cups)

⁃ 30g chopped parsley

⁃ Bay leaf (optional)

⁃ 1 egg beaten

⁃ 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

⁃ 250g crumbled or greater goat or ewe’s cheese such as feta, Abergavenny goat, manchego, pecorino or graviera.

⁃ Salt

⁃ 1 béchamel portion of your choice

⁃ Mace + bay leaf or just grated nutmeg to flavour

⁃ Half kg potatoes or as many it takes to fill a medium baking tray, sliced in circles of 1.5 to 2cm thickness

⁃ Mix of vegetable and olive oil to shallow fry

What:

1. Soak the lentils for an hour or two (optional).

2. Start with making the lentil filling.

3. Fry the onion in 2tbsp. Olive oil with a pinch of salt for 5min.

4. Add the drained lentils, a pinch of pepper and the crashed allspice berries and fry for a couple of minutes.

5. Add the wine, stir and follow with the tinned tomatoes & hot water.

6. Add another couple of pinches of salt, the bay leaf (if using) and the chopped parsley.

7. Cover and simmer for 30.

8. Whilst the sauce is simmering make a béchamel portion of your choice and fry the potatoes till mostly cooked.

9. Use 2-3 Tbsp. Vegetable oil and 2 Tbsp. Olive oil to fry the potatoes.

10. Make sure to cool down the lentil sauce before adding the beaten egg, cheese or mix of cheeses your choice and breadcrumbs. Taste and season if necessary.

11. In a medium baking tray at least 10cm deep, layer the potatoes, the lentil sauce smoothed across the surface and then the bechamel sauce.

12. If you want sprinkle with some more breadcrumbs and cheese.

13. Bake in an 170 Celsius degree fan oven for 45 min or until golden.