HEALTHIER MOUSSAKA

Preparation time 20 mins Cooking time 1 hour 25 mins Serves 6

3 eggplants, halved

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 80ml dry white wine or

chicken stock

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground

black pepper, to season 200g fresh ricotta

½ tsp ground nutmeg

LAMB FILLING

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 brown onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 500g lamb mince

1 Tbsp tomato paste 400g can cherry tomatoes 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp ground allspice Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground

black pepper, to season Fresh oregano, to garnish

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced (220°C conventional). Line an oven tray with baking paper.

STEP 2 Score eggplant flesh in criss-cross pattern, making sure not to cut all the way through the skin. Arrange on a prepared tray and drizzle with oil and wine or stock. Season. Cover with a sheet of baking paper, then cover entire tray tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes or until eggplant flesh is just tender.

STEP 3 To make the lamb filling, heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and lamb. Cook, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until mince has browned. Stir in paste, then add tomatoes, cinnamon, oregano and allspice and stir. Bring to a simmer, season and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside off the heat. Use a large spoon to remove eggplant flesh, leaving the eggplant skin and shape still intact. Stir flesh into lamb mince mixture and return to stove. Cook, stirring, for a further 5 minutes.

STEP 4 Spoon lamb mixture back into eggplants.

STEP 5 Combine ricotta and nutmeg in a medium bowl, season. Spoon ricotta mixture over top of mince. Return to oven for 20 minutes or until ricotta is light golden. Serve garnished with oregano.