Vegetarian Moussaka

Whenever I think of the word *moussaka* – it takes me make to the scene in *my big fat greek wedding* when the little blonde girls tease the little Greek  Toula Portokalos (played by Christina Eleusiniotis as a child and by Nia Vardalos as an adult) and said *moose kaka*? And then burst out into fits of laughter!

And funnily enough – I have never been a fan of aubergines (otherwise known as Brinjals to South African’s and Eggplant to North American’s).. but recently I have started eating a whole new array of veggies including this one!!

Vegetarian Moussaka

olive oil

1 tin red kidney beans

1 large aubergine – sliced

1 large onion – sliced

2 cloves garlic – crushed

2 carrots – sliced

1 courgette – sliced

1 green pepper – sliced

500ml Passata

2 Potatoes – parboiled and sliced

2 Tablespoons tomato puree

2 vegetable stock cubes dissolved in 250ml water

100g butter

100g flour

600ml milk

1 ball of mozzarella

250g grated cheddar

1. peel and slice the Aubergine, salt and place on roller towel to drain juices (approx 20min)
2. Heat the oil and fry onionfor a few minutes
3. Add garlic and vegetables (except potatoes) and cook for 2-3minutes
4. Add passata, tomato paste and stock – bring to the boil and then simmer for 20-30minutes
5. Rinse Aubergine in water to get rid of bitter juices – pat dry with roller towel
6. Fry in a little oil in a frying pan until golden on each side
7. To make bechamel sauce – melt butter in a pot, then add flour to make a roux and then slowly add milk, whisking all the time until sauce starts to thicken – then remove from heat
8. Take lasagne dish and arrange moussaka by layering potato slices, vegetable sauce, aubergine
9. 

   layer potatoes, aubergines… then veggie sauce… then bechamel

10. Pour over the bechamel sauce
11. 
12. Top with sliced mozzarella and grated cheese
13. Bake at 180C for 40minutes