Greek moussaka

Fills a large casserole

Dinner for 4, with some left for tomorrow’s lunch

There are loads of stages involved in making a good moussaka, which can often seem too much effort for something that is available to buy from the supermarket freezer, but a good moussaka is a feast of a dish, a real centerpiece you can serve with pride. The care you take in preparing each step will show from top to bottom: a smooth golden crown of creamy, cheesy topping; a layer of eggplant neatly arranged and roasted to a soft submission; the meat in the middle delicately spiced and scented; and the potatoes underneath it all, cooked in all those lovely juices (probably the nicest part of all).

3 eggplants

60g/ml olive oil to brush

For the meat sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

2 medium-sized onions, peeled and diced

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

600g ground beef (or lamb, if you prefer)

2 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp sweet paprika

a pinch of dried chile flakes or cayenne pepper

2 tsp table salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 can peeled tomatoes (400g)

1 small bunch of thyme, tied with string

2 tbsp tomato paste

For the base

2 large potatoes (about 500g)

olive oil to drizzle

2 plum tomatoes

For the béchamel sauce

50g unsalted butter

50g all-purpose flour

½ tsp table salt

a pinch of freshly ground black pepper

500g/ml milk

To sprinkle

50g kashkaval or pecorino cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 450°F/425°F convection and line two large trays with baking parchment. Cut the eggplants into long, finger-thick slices (about 1/2 inch wide), brush generously on both sides with the olive oil and lay on the lined trays. Season with salt and black pepper, then roast in the oven for 20–25 minutes until nice and golden.

In the meantime, place the olive oil in a large pan on a high heat and fry the onions and garlic for about 8–10 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef and, keeping the heat high, smash the meat around until it crumbles and breaks up. Stir in the oregano, spices, salt and pepper, and cook for 30 seconds, then mix in the canned tomatoes, thyme and tomato paste. Reduce the heat to low and allow to cook slowly for 30 minutes. You may need to add about 120g/ml of water if the meat gets a little dry, but not too much as you want a dry-ish mixture. Once the meat sauce is cooked, remove and discard the thyme bundle.

While you are waiting for the meat sauce to cook, peel the potatoes and slice as thinly as you can (use a mandolin if you have one). Lay them in a single layer to cover the bottom of the casserole dish. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place half the eggplants in a layer on top of the potatoes, and follow with a meat layer, using half the meat sauce. Slice the fresh tomatoes and lay them on top. Place the remaining eggplants in a layer on the tomatoes, and finish with a second meat layer, using the rest of the meat sauce.

Melt the butter in a small pan, then add the flour, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Use a small whisk to incorporate the milk, whisking all the time as you pour it in a steady stream. Keep whisking until you have a lovely thick béchamel sauce. Heat until the first bubbles appear, then pour on top of the meat in the casserole. Spread the béchamel out to create a smooth layer and sprinkle with the grated cheese. You can bake this now or set it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

You need the oven at 400°F/375°F convection, so either lower the temperature (if it is still on after roasting the eggplants) or preheat (if you made the moussaka in advance). Bake for 30 minutes if you just finished preparing the dish, or 60 minutes if it has been in the fridge (to make sure that it will be heated right through). Either way, it should have a great golden crust once cooked.

Any leftovers can be refrigerated and then reheated until piping hot, either in the microwave or in the oven on a tray covered with aluminum foil.

Pigeon pastilla

Enough for lunch for 6 or a very hungry 4 (pigeon is very rich)

In Morocco this is traditionally made with warka pastry. In the West we tend to substitute filo, which is more readily available. While warka pastry is quite easy to make at home, it does require you to use a brush to paint batter on a griddle that is set on a pan of boiling water. This is just as painful and boring as it sounds, but if you feel so inclined, there are plenty of recipes online (check out the video of a gray-haired lady cooking warka and explaining how to do it while inhaling helium from a balloon—the joys of the internet). In my opinion, these kinds of pastry are never ever worth making at home. All that my hard work at it ever got me was a messy kitchen, aching arms and pastry that wasn’t as thin as it should be. Some things should be left to the pros.

1 packet (or 6 sheets) of filo pastry

100g unsalted butter, melted

For the pigeon

4 pigeons

1 orange, cut in half

2 bay leaves

2 cloves

4 whole allspice berries

1 cinnamon stick

enough water to cover

3 tbsp vegetable oil

For the filling

cooked pigeon meat (about 500g)

120g hazelnuts (skins removed), roughly chopped

200g dried figs, diced

40g unsalted butter

40g all-purpose flour

400g/ml strained poaching liquid (reserved)

Place the pigeons, halved orange, bay leaves and spices in a large pan. Cover with water, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over a high heat. Skim off any foam, then add the vegetable oil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer slowly for about an hour, then remove the pigeons from the liquid and set on a plate to cool. Strain the poaching liquid into a measuring jug. You need to reserve about 400g/ml for the filling, but you can discard the rest.

Once the birds are cool enough to handle, carefully pick the pigeon off the bones, making sure you don’t leave any small bones in with the meat. Place the meat in a large bowl with the chopped hazelnuts and figs.

Heat the butter and flour together in a small pan until the butter has melted. Stir well while it browns a little, then add the reserved poaching liquid and continue to cook, stirring all the time, until the first bubbles appear. Remove from the heat, pour over the pigeon mixture and stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 400°F/375°F convection. Line a 7–8 inch frying pan or round baking tin with baking parchment. Open the packet of filo and lay the sheets on the work surface. Butter one sheet. Lay another sheet across it at 90 degrees and butter it. Butter a third sheet, fold it in quarters, and place in the center of the two sheets you’ve already buttered, to provide a stronger base. Butter the remaining three sheets and layer them on top, changing the angle slightly every time to fill in the gaps between the sheets and create a large filo disc. Lift carefully and slide into the lined pan or tin, leaving the excess pastry hanging over the sides. Place the pigeon mixture in the center, then fold the edges over it in a crinkly mess to create a pastry parcel. Bake in the center of the oven for about 25–30 minutes until a lovely golden color. Serve hot.