On Today with Maura and Dáithí, Mags Roche makes a magnificent moussaka.

Ingredients

  • 4 aubergine 
  • 1kg of beef mince
  • 4red onion
  • 2garlic cloves
  • 1tsp herbs de provence 
  • 2bay leaf
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 200ml red wine
  • 1 tin good quality chopped tomato

White bechamel sauce

  • 100g butter 
  • 100g flour
  • 800ml milk 
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 100g parmesan
  • 2 eggs 

Method

  1. Slice the aubergine and potato about 1cm in thickness. Sprinkle salt over the aubergine and leave aside for ten minutes (this is to remove moisture and take away bitterness) 
  2. Cook potato slice in salted boiling water for 5/6minutes. Drain on paper and leave aside. 
  3. Rince aubergine and drain on paper and leave aside.
  4. Brown off the mincemeat in a hot pan with salt and pepper. Drain in a colander.
  5. Sweat off the garlic, red onion, herbs and cinnamon in a pan. Add the tomato paste and cook out a little.
  6. Add the red wine and reduce a little. Add the chopped tomato and stir. Add in the browned mince and cook for 30minutes.
  7. Panfry the aubergine slices and the potato slices until a nice golden colour. Set aside.
  8. Make the white sauce by melting the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for a minute and gradually add the milk(as to not lump up).
  9. Add 1/2 parmesan and nutmeg and simmer gently for 10mins. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the 2beaten eggs. 

ASSEMBLE.

  1. Spoon 1/3 mince mix, cover with a layer of aubergine and a layer of potato.
  2. Repeat 2more times.
  3. Finish with Aubergine, pour over white sauce and sprinkle with parmesan.
  4. Bake 180 for 40minutes until golden brown delicious.