MOUSSAKA – CRETAN STYLE – EV (This feeds 8 -10 so can be cut down but what I do is cook all the meat sauce and freeze it. SEEMS A LOT OF WORK..BUT WORTH IT J
Aubergines 2 or 3 depending on size of aubergine, or dish!
Floury potatoes – I like king Edwards or maris piper
Olive oil
800g good minced beef
200g good minced pork
2 big red onion chopped finely or grated
2 chopped garlic clove (I use a dollop from a prepared jar)
3 whole cloves and 3 whole allspice berries
250ml red wine
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
2 tablespoons of flat leaf parsley chopped
Cut the aubergines lengthwise into slices about 5mm thick. Sprinkle with salt and leave in a colander for about half an hour for the juices to drain.
Peel and cut the potatoes into slices about the same thickness and cook for 5 minutes till they are just a wee bit tender then drain and keep aside – watch they don’t overcook
To make the meat sauce heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Add both minces and onion and fry until lightly brown and all the moisture has gone. Add the garlic, cloves and allspice berries (I tie the berries in a wee bit of jcloth or I have a spice thing like a tea strainer, it means you can find them later) let that mingle a wee bit and get to know each other J Add the wine…simmer till most of it has evaporated…add the tomatoes, tomato paste and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in a tomato tin of water. Put the lid on and simmer for an hour taking the lid off in the last 10 minutes if there is too much liquid. It needs to be quite dry. Remove the spices.
Rinse the aubergines, dry them very well with paper towels. Heat a very little olive oil in a large pan and fry the aubergine in batches. When the fried side is golden flip them over and prick with a fork, particularly where they may still be hard. Press the slices down to release the moisture and fry that side till it is golden. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt. Continue till all are done, adding more oil when needed.
Put a layer of potatoes as tight together as you can in the bottom of an ovenproof dish, then a layer of mince…then aubergines…and continue till meat is finished and it is the last layer
Make whatever kind of sauce you would normally put on – I make a béchamel sauce with an egg in it but any white sauce would do but I season it well with nutmeg and salt and pepper. You can add a layer of grated cheese on top if you wish.
Bake in a preheated oven 180/350/gas 4 for about 40 minutes till the béchamel is firm and golden. Take out and allow to set for 30 minutes to firm it up. You can eat it immediately but it will be more sloppy. Tastes firmer second day microwaved.
You can replace aubergines with courgette slices a wee bit thinner than the aubergines or use them as well and have less mince. The potatoes soak up the juices and taste lovely and I often put more than one layer. As you can see I kinda make it up as I go along.
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