Potato & eggpl ant moussaka

Make the tomato sauce fi rst. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over a gentle heat. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant and just starting to change colour. Tip in tomatoes and add cumin, cinnamon, pepper and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, lower heat and cook gently for 15 minutes.

For the cheese sauce, gently melt butter in a small saucepan, remove from heat, stir in flour, then blend in one-third of the milk. Slowly blend in remaining milk. Set pan over a medium heat and whisk until bubbling. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then remove from heat and whisk in salt, nutmeg, pepper and grated cheese. Cover sauce with a lid and leave until cool.

Steam potatoes in their skins (or gently boil) until nearly tender (cut in half if large). Cool, peel and slice.

Slice eggplants and pour some olive oil onto a plate. Dunk each slice in a little oil and cook until golden in a ridged pan or cast-iron frying pan. Transfer to a plate as the slices are done and sprinkle with sea salt. Continue with the rest of the eggplant.

Preheat oven to 190°C fanbake. Assemble the moussaka in a buttered 2.5 to 3-litre casserole. Layer potatoes, a seasoning of salt, fried eggplant, then tomato sauce until all ingredients are used up. Beat egg into cheese sauce and spoon on top of casserole. Bake for 30 minutes, until puff ed and golden.

Cook's tip This meatless moussaka should be on the ‘to try’ list of everyone, not just vegetarians, because it really is sensational – rich, oily, creamy, filling, tasty and absolutely moreish. Serve with a fresh green salad and have a lie down after.

Article from the June, 2012 issue of Taste magazine .