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Rula's Kefalonian Meat Pie

Katerina's Moussaka

Katerina

Ingredients

900g aubergines
400g lean minced beef
3 tbs olive oil
extra oil for dipping aubergines
1 medium onion – chopped
1 green pepper – sliced or chopped
1 tin chopped tomatoes (130g)
2 cloves garlic – peeled but not chopped
1 bay leaf
pinch cinnamon
½ tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp dried sage
½ tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

For the topping

2 cups béchamel sauce, 1 egg yolk, 40g grated hard cheese, 3 tbs fresh cream, freshly grated nutmeg
extra grated hard cheese, 2 tbs fine breadcrumbs.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, Gas mark 4 or 350ºF

Wash then cut the aubergines into half inch rounds. Sprinkle with sea salt, dip lightly in oil and place in layers in a large ovenproof dish. Cover with foil and cook for about one hour in a medium oven until soft. In the meantime, prepare the minced beef :

Heat 30g olive oil in a heavy base saucepan, add the minced beef and stir frequently for the first few minutes. Add the chopped onion and slices of green pepper. Fry gently until onions and peppers become soft and the meat has browned. Add the chopped tomatoes, 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves of garlic, pinch of cinnamon, half a teaspoon each of dried marjoram, sage and thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking on a low heat until all the juices have been absorbed.

Lightly grease a square oven proof dish (approx. 20cm x 20cm). Place a thick layer of the prepared aubergines, followed by a layer of the minced beef mixture and cover this with another layer of the aubergine mixture.Prepare the béchamel sauce and mix in the egg yolk, the cream and the grated cheese and nutmeg. Use this to top the aubergine and meat mixture, and then sprinkle with grated cheese mixed with the fine breadcrumbs. Place the dish in a medium oven for approximately 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Happy cooking and please enjoy!     Katerina.x

Tips :     For a lighter moussaka try using courgettes as well as, or instead of aubergines.