Vegetarian Moussaka

Lentil ragu:

Bechamel sauce:

To serve:

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel the potatoes. Slice the aubergines and potatoes into thick discs, about 4mm thick. Arrange on greased baking trays and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender then set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until translucent, stirring frequently.

Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, oreganum, tomato paste, tinned tomatoes, tinned lentils, sugar and vegetable stock and stir together. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15  minutes until the sauce is thick and fragrant. Discard the bay leaf.

To make the béchamel, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over low heat, then add the flour. Stir well until thick. Add a small amount of milk and mix well to form a thick paste. Gradually add the remaining milk, a little at a time, and continue heating over low heat whisking continuously until the sauce is thick and creamy.

Increase the heat to medium and add the grated Lancewood Mature Cheddar Cheese and the nutmeg. Mix well.

In a small bowl, beat together the egg and egg yolks. Add a few spoonfuls of the sauce and mix well to temper the eggs. Add this mixture back to the sauce and continue heating until thick and smooth. Remove from the heat.

To assemble the moussaka, spread about 1 cup of the béchamel sauce onto the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Layer the potatoes neatly onto the sauce, then top with a layer of aubergines. Spoon over the lentil ragu. Lastly spread the béchamel sauce over.

Bake at 200°C for about 25-30 minutes. If desired, set the oven to grill for a few minutes to brown the top of the moussaka.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a Greek Salad.