LENTIL & RICOTTA EGGPLANT MOUSSAKA

Serves 4

This is a dish I first put on the Qantas menu in 1997 and I have loved it ever since. All the textures and flavours combine to create a very satisfying meal that is surprisingly light and delicious. This can easily be made and reheated at a later date — I think it’s better once the flavours have settled together after a couple of days.

EGGPLANT

4 large eggplant (aubergines), cut lengthways into 5 mm (¼ inch) thick slices

table salt

extra virgin olive oil, for shallow-frying

Place the eggplant on a tray, sprinkle with some salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Pat dry to remove the salt and moisture.

Heat 1 cm (½ inch) of the oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Shallow-fry the eggplant, in batches, until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towel and set aside.

RED CAPSICUM SAUCE

2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) red capsicum (peppers)

120 ml (4 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

lemon juice, to taste

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7). Coat half of the capsicum in 100 ml (3½ fl oz) of the olive oil and roast for 20 minutes or until the skins start to blister. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to steam. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and discard the seeds. Roughly chop the flesh.

Juice the remaining capsicum in an electric juicer. Place in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the chopped capsicum and simmer for about 20 minutes. Pass through a mouli (food mill).

Return the sauce to a clean saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes or until thickened. Add the remaining olive oil and check the seasoning. Keep warm until serving. Just before serving, add lemon juice to taste.

BRAISED LENTILS

150 g (5½ oz/²/₃ cup) green lentils

450 ml (15¾ fl oz) vegetable stock

100 ml (3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) onions, finely diced

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) red capsicum (peppers), seeds removed & finely diced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

300 ml (10½ fl oz) red wine

60 g (2¼ oz/ ¼ cup) tomato paste (concentrated purée)

1 cinnamon quill

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) tinned whole Roma (plum) tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 small bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Drain and rinse well. Return the lentils to the pan and place over medium heat. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed and the lentils are just tender. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a separate heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, season to taste with salt and cook for 10 minutes or until softened but not coloured. Add the capsicum and garlic and cook for 15–20 minutes or until they are starting to brown slightly. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the cinnamon, chopped tomato, season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Add the lentils and parsley and stir to combine. Check the seasoning and set aside.

RICOTTA BÉCHAMEL

25 g (1 oz) unsalted butter

25 g (1 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) milk, warmed

250 g (1 cup/9 oz) ricotta

1 egg, lightly beaten

25 g (1 oz/ ¼ cup) freshly grated parmesan

Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes or until golden. Add the nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper.

While whisking continuously, gradually add the milk, making sure there are no lumps after each addition. Once all the milk is added and the sauce is a thick consistency, remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Add the ricotta and whisk until smooth, then add the egg and parmesan and whisk until smooth. Check the seasoning and keep warm until needed.

TO ASSEMBLE

Decrease the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6).

Lightly grease 4 x 350 ml (12 fl oz) capacity ramekins and line the bases with baking paper. Reserve 4 eggplant slices, then line the base and side of each ramekin with the remaining slices, overlapping, if necessary, with enough eggplant overhanging the edge to cover the top.

Divide half of the braised lentils between the ramekins, then top with half of the ricotta béchamel. Place an eggplant slice on top, then repeat the process with the remaining lentils and béchamel until the ramekins are full. Fold the overhanging eggplant over to enclose the filling and cover with aluminium foil. Bake for 10–15 minutes or until warmed through.

To serve, invert each ramekin onto a plate, spoon the red capsicum sauce on top and finish with a grind of pepper.

NOTE

You can also make one large moussaka instead of individual ones. Use a 1.5 litre (52 fl oz) capacity baking dish. There is no need to line the base with paper or the side with eggplant. To serve, divide the moussaka among 4 plates and serve with the red capsicum sauce.