Moussaka

To make the meat sauce: Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until softened. Increase the heat, add the mince and cook until the mince is browned, breaking it up with a fork. Stir in the Gregg's Tomato Paste and Gregg’s Ground Cinnamon. Pour over the wine if using and cook for a further minute. Add the Wattie’s Tomatoes with Roast Garlic & Onion and stir while bringing to the boil. Reduce heat to low, add the bay leaf and simmer gently for 30 minutes. The sauce will be thick at the end of cooking.

While the mince is cooking preheat oven to 180°C (fan assisted). Brush each eggplant slice with olive oil and place them in a single layer on baking trays lined with baking paper. Roast for 15–20 minutes or until tender.

To make the Cheese Sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add half the milk. Whisk until the sauce is smooth. Whisk in remaining milk. Return the sauce to the heat and cook over a medium heat, stirring, for a further 2–3 minutes or until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheese.

To assemble the Moussaka: Lightly grease the base of a lasagne dish (2L capacity). Place half the cooked eggplant slices in a layer in the base of the dish. Spoon over the meat sauce. Place remaining eggplant slices over the meat sauce to cover. Pour over cheese sauce and sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden and hot.

Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a crisp green salad on the side.