Moussaka

Cut the 900 g of aubergines into 1 cm slices and the 500 g of potatoes into 5 mm slices, peeled. Lay the aubergine in a colander, sprinkle generously with salt and leave for 20 minutes. Beads of liquid will form on the surface. Rinse the slices briefly, then press them between clean cloths until dry. Wet aubergine spits in the oil and soaks up far more of it. Pat the potato slices dry as well.

• aubergine900 g
• potato500 g
• saltto taste

Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the aubergine in single layers for 3–4 minutes a side, until golden and soft right through. Add oil between batches as the slices soak it up; the recipe uses 300 ml in all, with 2 tablespoons kept back for the onion. Fry the potato the same way for 4–5 minutes a side until golden and tender. Drain everything on kitchen paper.

• olive oil300 mL
• aubergine900 g
• potato500 g

Fry 250 g of finely chopped onion in the reserved oil over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, until soft. Add the lamb and 3 minced garlic cloves and cook, breaking it up, until the meat has browned and the liquid has cooked off. Stir in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, cinnamon, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20–25 minutes, uncovered, until thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail. A wet sauce makes a watery moussaka.

• minced lamb600 g
• onion250 g
• garlic3 cloves
• tomato paste2 tbsp
• tomato sauce400 g
• water100 mL
• cinnamon1 tsp
• oregano1 tsp
• saltto taste
• black pepperto taste

Melt 80 g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 80 g of flour and cook for 1–2 minutes without colouring. Add 800 ml of milk gradually, whisking, then simmer for 5–6 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take it off the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, a pinch of nutmeg, 30 g of grated Parmesan and a little salt. The eggs scramble if the sauce is still hot.

• butter80 g
• wheat flour80 g
• milk800 mL
• egg2
• nutmeg1 pinch
• Parmigiano Reggiano30 g
• saltto taste

Heat the oven to 180 °C. In a 30 × 20 cm dish, layer the potato, then half the aubergine, all the lamb sauce and the remaining aubergine. Pour the béchamel over, smooth it to the corners and scatter over 30 g of Parmesan. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the edges bubble. Rest the tray for at least 20 minutes before cutting. The layers need that time to set into clean squares.

• aubergine900 g
• potato500 g
• minced lamb600 g
• Parmigiano Reggiano30 g