Aubergine is a bit of a strange vegetable, known as the eggplant around the world, brightly purple coloured but white when cut open.

Used in a wide range of Middle East and European cuisine, the aubergine forms the basis of the traditional Moussaka.

Moussaka varies from country to country, with some variations being completely vegan, others feature meat or have meat as the main base for the dish.

In most cases, Moussaka consists of sauteed aubergine and tomato with mincemeat.

Popular in the Balkans, Greece, Turkey and parts of the Middle East, the main core ingredients do remain the same, and we have chosen to go with a spectacular recipe from the Hairy Bikers as our favourite version of the dish.

Ingredients

• 2 aubergines, cut into 1cm/½in slices
• 1 tbsp fine sea salt
• 750g/1lb 10½oz lamb mince
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1½ tsp dried mint
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• ½ tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 200ml/7fl oz red wine
• 1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 7 tbsp olive oil
• 500g/1lb 2oz Maris Piper potatoes, peeled, sliced into 1cm/½in slices
• sea salt and freshly groundblack pepper

For the white sauce

• 50g/2oz butter
• 50g/2oz plain flour
• 400ml/14fl oz milk
• 1 tsp finely grated nutmeg
• 25g/1oz finely grated parmesan
• 1 free-range egg, beaten

Method

A photo posted by @galiocrafts on Sep 9, 2016 at 9:17am PDT

1. Clean and slice the aubergine before placing into a colander and seasoning with salt. Set aside.
2. Put the lamb, onions, garlic, oregano, mint, bay leaves and cinnamon in a large heavy-based frying pan and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat.
3. Add the flour, salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, before adding your wine, tomatoes, tomato purée and bring to a simmer.
4. Cook for around 30 minutes, give the mixture an occasional stir, and cook until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened. Once ready, season before setting aside.
5. Now take the aubergine pieces and rinse under cold running water before patting dry with a clean tea towel or paper towels.
6. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergines for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, adding more oil if needed. Remove the aubergines from the pan and place on kitchen roll to absorb the excess oil.
7. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for five minutes, then drain in a colander under running water until cold.
8. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C (fan)/Gas 4.
9. For the white sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for a few seconds, then gradually stir in the milk. Add half the parmesan and the grated nutmeg. Simmer the sauce gently for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
10. Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly stir in the beaten egg. Cover the surface of the sauce with clingfilm to prevent a skin forming.
11. Spoon one third of the meat sauce into a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Cover with a layer of potatoes and a layer of aubergines. Repeat the layers twice more, finishing with the aubergines. Pour over the white sauce, making sure it covers in a thick, even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until deep golden-brown and bubbling.

The cinnamon spiced lamb complements the dish superbly, serve with a side salad or chips and this is a hearty dish that really hits the mark every single time.