MATTYS MOUSSAKA FOR TWO

Ever since I went on holiday to Rhodes a few years ago I fell in love with Greek food. The fresh salads and amazing cheese such as feta were delicious as well as the lamb produce such as their kofta kebabs and of course the moussaka. Being a half veggie household I decided to create this meat free version using Quorn mince in a herby tomato and  vegetable sauce covered in a cheesy white sauce and baked until golden and crisp. Perfect for two and super delicious!

Now what with a veggie recipe I'm using the old Quorn mince which we love. Other mince like meat substitutes are available and of course you could always use true lamb mince if your a carnivore. Just make sure it's browned off before adding in the canned tomatoes.

For the veg there is of course aubergine (the balsamic brush is for an extra touch of flavor but totally optional if you don't have any to hand!) for that true moussaka vibe and onions to make that base sauce. I've thrown in a courgette too as I think they work well in the dish but feel free to replace that with something else use as mushrooms or celery instead if you prefer. Root veg such as carrots could work too but you might want to add them in earlier with the onions so that they cook through properly.

I'd recommend leaving in the cinnamon for a nice sweet edge to the tomato sauce but feel free to leave it out if you wish. The bay and oregano work really well together but you can mix it up with some other green herbs if you don't have them to hand. Of course with many of my tomato sauce based recipes I plonk in a good glug of liquid smoke for that nice BBQ kick (trust me - go buy some online, it's amazing!) but if you don't have any replace it with a tsp or two of smoked paprika instead. I prefer the tang of red wine vinegar too as opposed to a red wine but if your an old soak and have some red wine lying around that needs using up then you can chuck that in, in it's place.

I'm going all out and making my own cheese white sauce for the top too. Be patient when making this, that flour will eventually go all smooth and make a lovely sauce. You can make it without the cheese if your not a fan but if you are then make sure you do use a cheese like Parmesan and don't put too much into the sauce. Being too heavy handed or using a cheese like a Cheddar runs the risk of the sauce becoming too thick and claggy!

Nutmeg too can be an acquired taste so this is optional too (maybe sprinkle some paprika over the top again for a smoky punch instead of you wish). Please don't grate in too much or that flavor will just overpower everything and ruin the balance of the moussaka.

Let's get going. Looking for a romantic Greek meal for two? This is the recipe for you!

Moussaka

1 Aubergine Sliced Into 1cm Slices
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
250g Quorn Mince
1 Diced Onion
1 Grated Garlic Clove
1 Tsp Dried Basil
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
2 Bay Leaves
 2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
1 Tbsp Plain Flour
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
200ml Vegetable Stock
400g Tin Of Plum Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Diced Courgette
Salt And Pepper To Season
250ml Semi Skimmed Milk
1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
2 Tbsp Cornflour
40g Grated Parmasan

1. Start by placing a grill on it's highest temperate and laying out your Aubergine slices in a single layer on a greased baking tray. Brush each slice with half of the balsamic vinegar and then place under the grill for five minutes until starting to brown slightly.
2. Remove the tray and carefully turn each piece over and brush the other sides of the Aubergine with the remaining half of the vinegar. Place back under the grill for another five minutes until turning golden again before removing andleaving to one side.
3. Next, take the mince, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, 1 bay leaf, cinnamon and liquid smoke and add to a lightly oiled pan on a medium heat and fry everything together until the onions begin to soften.
4. Add in the flour and mix together until well combined before adding in the red wine vinegar, stock, plum tomatoes, tomato paste and courgette. Season with the salt and pepper and then bring the pan to a boil before simmering for 20 minutes untilthe sauce has thickened and then remove from the heat. Stir every now and then to prevent anything sticking to the bottom of the pan.
5. Take a deep sided roasting dish big enough to hold all your filling and spoon in enough of the filling to lightly coat the base of the base. Layer in your aubergine pieces on top of this and then pour over the remaining filling. Leave to one side.
6. Time to get your oven on! Turn it up to 200 degrees (180 fan).
7. Next, prepare the white sauce. Place the milk, half thenutmeg and the remaining bay leaf and place in a saucepan on a low/medium heat until just simmering.
8. Slowly add in the cornflour in batches, whisking after each addition until the flour has fully dissolved into the milk until the sauce thickens enough to sit on top of the moussaka filling but not claggy and unspreadable.
9. Once ready, add in half the parmesan and mix until melted. Pour your white sauce over the top of the filling in the roasting dish and sprinkle over the remaining nutmeg and cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top looks crisp and golden.

 Remove from the oven and serve immediately whilst the smoky spicy smells take over your kitchen. The White sauce will of gone all crispy and delicious and crunch as you dish out your moussaka. It's not particularly Greek but serve with some buttered garlic bread for mopping up all that delicious sauce.

 From me to you, it's Matty B's moussaka for two. 

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