Vegetarian moussaka — Neantog Farm

This is a really easy gluten-free and vegetarian moussaka.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

160g/5½oz red lentils
650g/1lb 7oz potatoes, scrubbed
1 tsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 heaped tbsp tomato puree
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 vegetable powder or vegetable stock cube
1 tsp sea salt
2 large aubergines, thinly sliced

· 50-80ml Extra virgin olive oil

· Good pinch of sea salt

· Good grind of black pepper

· 250g/9oz ricotta cheese or soft cheese of your choice

· 50g/1¾oz hard cheese of your choice, grated

· freshly ground black pepper

· sea salt to taste

· 1 tsp smoked paprika

· mixed herbs

· 2 tbsp roughly chopped flat leaf or curly parsley to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

2. Put the lentils into a bowl. Cover with water and set aside to soak.

3. Put the potatoes into a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15–18 minutes until just tender.

4. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, add the onions and cook over a medium heat for 5–6 minutes until just softening.

5. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute, stir in the tomato purée and cook for a further minute.

6. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Fill the tomato tin with water and add to the pan. Do this once more and add the vegetable stock powder or cube (this should be 800ml/1pint 8fl oz of water in total).

7. Drain the lentils and stir into the tomato sauce, bring to the boil and simmer over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes until the lentils are soft and the liquid nearly all absorbed.

8. Meanwhile, drain the potatoes and run under cold water until cool enough to hold. Using a spoon, scrape the skin off of the potatoes, then cut into slices about 7mm/⅜in thick and set aside (if using new potatoes, keep the skin on).

9. Prepare the aubergines (see baked aubergines instructions below) until browned and softened.

10. Spoon half the lentil sauce into an ovenproof dish (L 11.5in/29cm – W 8.5in/22cm – H 2in/5cm) or any medium sized ovenproof dish, then layer half the potatoes and aubergines over the top. Top with the remaining lentils, potatoes and aubergines.

11. Put the ricotta or soft cheese of your choice into a small bowl and stir in the grated hard cheese. Spoon the mixture over the aubergines and smooth out to cover the top.

12. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until heated through and golden brown.

13. Serve decorated with chopped parsley and a green salad.