Moussaka (Gluten Free)

This is a combo dish officially approved by the family. It will serve six easily and probably eight without leftovers depending on how hungry everyone is.

INGREDIENTS

5  large eggplant, sliced 1cm thick
Qty garlic salt
Olive oil
1kg beef mince
500g pork mince
(note Moussaka is traditionally made with lamb mince – but this combination works well)
3 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons tomato paste or more as you taste
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tins diced tomato
1½ cup beef  stock
5 medium potatoes, nearly cooked, sliced
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
60g butter
60g flour
½ litre milk or as required
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ cup grated  parmesan cheese
1/3 cup corn flake crumbs

METHOD

1. Mix the mince together
2. Heat half tbsp oil in a deep frying pan and cook the mince in two batches,separating the mince with a spatula
3. Place batches in a colander to cool and drain over a bowl – keep the juices
4. Put more oil in the pan and cook the onions and garlic until soft and brown.
5. Add tomato paste, cinnamon, salt, pepper, oregano, allspice.
6. Cook and stir for a minute
7. Add crumbled (between your fingers to make it fine) mince mixture and any juices
8. Add diced tomatoes and stock and cook for around 40 minutes or when the sauce is thick and tasty
9. Stir in parsley when cooking time is finished
10. Meanwhile, cook potatoes for five minutes in microwave and sllce 5mm thick, when cool
11. Fry eggplant on bbq (it’s quicker) with olive oil and garlic salt and drain on paper towel
12. Assemble the moussaka in a 43 cm lasagne dish by putting down a layer of potato, eggplant, mince, eggplant, mince, eggplant.
13. Make a bechamel sauce by heating the butter gently in a pan, adding the sifted flout gradually until it forms a dough mixture, then gradually add milk until it makes a thick sauce.
14. Add nutmeg salt and pepper to the sauce and pour over the assembled moussaka.
15. Mix the cheese and breadcrumbs and distribute evenly over the top of the moussaka
16. Cook at 180C in the oven for around 40 minutes, checking halfway through the process.

Serve with a salad, crusty bread and lots of wine.