Lentil, aubergine & tomato moussaka

Caroline Marson: Food writer

This delicious vegetarian dish is a great one to have on standby in the freezer.

Ingredients: serves 8 - 10

Moussaka:

2 onions (chopped roughly)
3 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed)
2 red peppers (chopped roughly)
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp oregano (dried)
1 tsp thyme (dried)
1 bay leaf
225 g puy lentils (dried)
3 cans chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
300 ml vegetable stock
salt
black pepper (ground)
3 large aubergines (sliced)
4 tbsp olive oil

Cheese sauce:

560 ml natural yoghurt
225 g cottage cheese
2 eggs
175 g hard cheese (grated)
1 tbsp tomato ketchup (grated)
freshly ground pepper (optional)

Method:

Moussaka:

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas mark 6. Heat about 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions, garlic, peppers and cook gently for about 10 minutes or until just golden brown.
Add the lentils, herbs, tomato puree, tomato ketchup and toss around the pan for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and remove any scum from the lentils that comes to the surface. Simmer for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the lentils are cooked, remove the bay leaf.
Meanwhile, preheat the grill. Brush the aubergine slices with the remaining olive oil and season. Cook the aubergine in batches until tender, soft and golden brown about 10 minutes on each side.

Cheese sauce:

Beat together the eggs and yoghurt with the cottage cheese and grated hard cheese.
To assemble the Moussaka, spoon half the lentil mixture into a large dish about 25 x 33cm. Cover with half the aubergine slices then spoon over half the cheese sauce mixture. Repeat with the remaining lentil mixture, aubergine slices and cheese sauce.
Cook in the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until golden on top and piping hot.

To serve:

Serve with garlic bread and crispy green salad.

Recipe tips:

To freeze: Complete up to the end of cheese sauce step 2, cool, cover, label and freeze the assembled dish for up to 3 months. To use: Thaw overnight in the fridge, Reheat in the oven at 200°C / 400°F /Gas Mark 6 and cook as above.