Cherry and Almond Cake

Cherry and Almond Cake is one of my most favourite cakes, never disappoints and always a hit with family and friends. Soft on inside and with a thin crust on the outside.


Ingredients

Butter, softened (at room temperature) - 175 gram (200?)
Golden caster sugar - 175 gram (200?)

Eggs - 4
Almond  extract - ½ tsp

Self-raising flour - 175 gram
Baking powder - ½ tsp
Ground Almonds - 125 gram

Milk - 100ml

Glace cherries - 300 gram
Flaked Almonds - 2 tbsp

Recipe

1. Heat oven to 140C fan
2. Line the base of a 20cm deep cake tin, scrape butter on sides
3. Rinse and dry the cherries thoroughly, then halve and dust with flour
4. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
5. Add Almond extract
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until they are mixed in
7. Fold in the flour, baking powder and ground almonds
8. Optionally add half of the cherries to batter at this stage
9. Add milk, and fold a bit
10. Pour batter into the tin
11. Add cherries on top
12. Scatter over the flaked almonds
13. Bake for 45 mins (Check after 30-35 minutes)
14. Check and bake for another 5-10 minutes if the cake is not done
15. Cool the cakes in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes

Mediterranean Chicken Casserole in Oven

It's a simple dish, but has got loads of flavour and straight forward to cook. There is something in the casserole for everyone. Mediterranean flavour add wonders, the apricot, the olives, Ras-el-hanout, Greek yogurt, its packed with oomph.

Chicken Casserole in Oven

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 medium or 8 leg pcs

Lemon - 1

Olive Oil 

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Onion - 2 medium

Greek Yoghurt - 1 cup

Olive -5-7 pitted

Garlic Cloves - 5

Potatoes (small) -4

Cherry Tomato - 5

Dried Apricot - 5

Almonds - 7-8

Cinnamon stick - 1

Ras-el-Hanout - 3 teaspoon

Paprika - 1 teaspoon
Salt (to taste)

Chicken Casserole in Oven

Recipe

1. Marinate chicken in lemon juice for 5-7 hours
2. Microwave dried apricot in half a cup of water
3. Fry chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, with whole spices and ginger garlic paste
4. Rub olive oil on sides of the oven dish
5. Add chicken to the oven dish
6. Fry onion in oil, add to chicken
7. Add greek yoghurt,  garlic cloves, potatoes, cherry tomato, apricot, almond, cinnamon stick, ras el hanout, paprika and salt
8. Cover with silver foil and bake for an hour
9. Remove from oven, check if cooked else oven for another 15 minutes
10. Remove the silver foil and grill for 5-7 minutes to get the crispy look

Date Truffles

It's a Ramadan special delight, it's a date and chocolate combination, kids love it, not just eating but the helping out in preparing for Iftaar, and the added bonus is it is super quick to make.

Ingredients
Medjool dates (or any other soft date)  - 4 large
Almond powder - 200 gram (Ground Almonds)
Honey - 1 tablespoon
Coconut oil - 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon powder -  1/2 teaspoon
Vanilla - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - pinch
Cocoa powder - 2 tablespoon

Date Truffles

Recipe

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to make a paste (add a teaspoon of water if the mixture is stiff)
2. Spoon small amounts of the paste into the palm of your hands and roll into small balls
3. Leave in the fridge for 15 minutes
4. Roll in Cocoa powder before serving

Note: Don't use too much cocoa powder, I did the mistake (see picture), because too much cocoa tastes bitter.

Lamb Stew - Khushi Style

One of the best Lamb Stew recipes I've tried, courtesy my dear cousin Khushi, who learnt it from her mum. I bargained recipe from her in return for sharing a barbecue recipe !

Ingredients

Lamb shoulder - 750 gm
Onion (sliced) - 4
Ginger Garlic (paste) - 2 teaspoon
Tomato - 1
Green chilli - 2

Whole Spices
Green Cardamom (chotti elaychi) - 2
Black Cardamom (badi elaychi) - 1
Cloves (laung) - 2
Black Peeper (kali mirch) - 6
Mace (Javitri) - 1/4
Bay Leaf (tez patta) - 2

Fennel (Khadi saunf) - 1/2 teaspoon
Dry whole red chilli - 2

Ground Spices
Red Chilli Powder (to taste)
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Garam Masala - 1/3 teaspoon

Green coriander leaves - 3-4 tablespoon (chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Cooking oil

Lamb Stew

Lamb Stew (garnished)

Recipe

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker
2. Add 2 onions
3. Add green and black cardamom, clove, black pepper, mace and bay leaf
4. When onion gets golden brown add lamb
5. Fry till water dries out
6. Add salt and ginger garlic paste
7. Ache se bhuno
8. Add 2 onions, tomato, khadi saunf, coriander powder, green chilli and dry red chilli 
9. Add red chilli powder (to taste, optional)
10. Add 1 cup water
11. Pressure Cook till meat is cooked
12. Steam nikalne ke baad bhuno
13. Add garam masala
14. Add green coriander

Spinach and Carrot soup with Poached egg 🍳

Ingredients

Carrots (peeled and chopped) - 3 large
Spinach - 1 large bag
Potato (peeled and chopped) - 1

Coconut Milk - 200 ml

Onion (peeled and chopped) - 1 large
Ginger (grated) - 1 teaspoon
Garlic - 2 cloves

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seed powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Egg - 4

Spinach and Carrot soup with Poached egg 🍳

Recipe

1. Heat oil in large saucepan, over medium heat. 
2. Add onion and saute gently until softened, but not browned.
3. Add carrot and potato, saute gently for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add garlic, ginger, chilli and spices, saute for a further1 minute, stirring occasionally.
5. Add spinach, cooked through for 5 minutes (wilt for 5 minutes if using fresh).
6. Add coconut milk, bring to the boil, cover and reduce to a simmer.
7. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Blend smooth with a hand whisk or in a food processor.
10. Adjust seasoning if needed.
11. Poach eggs in water, one by one, add to soup bowls, garnish with black pepper.
12. Optionally add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut milk to each bowl.

Chicken in Ras el hanout

On my trip to Morocco, I bought Ras el hanout spice mix, I've heard quite a lot about it but buying from Marrakech had its own charm. I did taste quite a few dishes made in Ras-el-Hanout at the hotel we stayed in.

Then a few weeks later after we were back from holidays our chef in office kitchen made 'poached white fish in Ras el hanout' and that's how I thought of my own Ras el hanout experiment.

Chicken in Ras el hanout

Ingredients
Chicken -  1 medium (cut in 16 pcs)
Onion - 2 medium (finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 teaspoon
Whole Spices (Black Pepper, Green and Black Cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, and Star anise)
Greek Yogurt - 1 bowl
Ras el hanout mix - 3 teaspoon
Paprika - 1 teaspoon
Dried apricot - 5-7
Cherry Tomato - 5-6
Olives - 5-7
Olive Oil - 3 tablespoon
Salt (to taste)


Recipe

1. Microwave apricot in a bowl dipped into water for 2 minutes
2. Heat oil in a pan
3. Add whole spices and fry for a minute
4. Add chicken and ginger garlic paste, fry for 3-5 minutes, turning side by side
5. Take the chicken out of oil, and leave it in a large bowl
6. Add Ras-el-Hanout and paprika to chicken
7. Add greek yogurt to chicken, and let it marinate till onion is ready
8. Add some more oil to pan if necessary, and heat it
9. Add onion to pan, fry for few minutes
10. Add Cherry tomatoes and olives, fry for few minutes
11. Add apricot with its water
12. Add chicken marinate, add water, cover the pan
13. Cook chicken on low flame till it is well done

Pumpkin Casserole

When you grow pumpkins on your allotment and get too many of those you start searching for ideas. After I've given few to friends and another few left in hen run for chickens to feed on, I was still left with a good number.

Pumpkin Casserole

I realised that pumpkin could be used as a casserole, bake inside the pumpkin itself, stuff with meat. Voilla !!!

It's a hollowed-out pumpkin stuffed with meat, and since pumpkins come in unpredictable sizes baking times depend on how long it takes for the pumpkin to get soft enough to pierce with a knife, being precise is impossible. I choose a small one from the allotment.

Empty Pumpkin

Add meat

Add meat

Meat in pumpkin

Lid the pumpkin

Pumpkin in oven after a while

Pumpkin Casser

Ingredients

1 medium size pumpkin

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2-3 garlic cloves

1/2 kg boneless lamb or beef

Onion - 2

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tablespoon

Whole Spices (Black Pepper, Green and Black Cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon) and chili flakes - to taste

Salt

Recipe

1. Heat oil in a cooker
2. Add whole spices
3. Add onion
4. Add Meat, salt and ginger garlic paste
5. Fry
6. Remove 
7. Close the lid of Pressure cook, and leave it on medium for a while till meat is slightly cooked
8. Heat oven to 180C. Cut the top off the pumpkin and use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds. Get rid of any pithy bits. 
9. Put the pumpkin on a baking tray, rub with 2 tbsp of the oil inside and out, and season well.
10. Fill pumpkin with meat, cloves and chili flakes.
11. Close the lid
12. Leave in Oven for an hour and a half (check after an hour)
13. Check again and leave for another 30 minutes if the meat is not done.

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients

Plane flour - 250 grams (sifted)
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon 
Cocoa powder - 2 tablespoons
Unsalted butter - 113 grams (room temperature)
Granulated white sugar - 300 grams
Eggs - 2 large
Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
Buttermilk - 240 ml (1 cup)
Red food colouring - 2 tablespoons (liquid)
White distilled vinegar - 1 teaspoon
Baking soda - 1 teaspoon

(Use 2/3 or half of below quantity for icing)
Cream cheese - 227 grams
Mascarpone cheese - 227 grams
Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
Icing sugar (sifted) - 115 grams
Whipping cream (double cream, cold) - 360 ml

Recipe

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 180c. 
2. Grease two 9 inch cake tin with butter, line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.
3. In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
4. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer on medium until fluffy.
5. Add vanilla.
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until they are mixed in.
7. In a cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. 
8. Add the flour and the buttermilk (alternating one then the other) into the sugar/egg mixture on low speed, beginning and ending with the flour.
9. In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 
10. Pour batter into the two 9 inch cake tins, smooth the tops and bake for 25-30 minutes.
11. Quickly divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops.
12. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
13. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan.
14. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic and place the cake layers in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or overnight). (This is done to make filling and frosting the cakes easier.)

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In the bowl of electric mixer beat the cream cheese and Mascarpone cheese until smooth. 
2. Add the vanilla.
3. Add icing sugar and beat until smooth. 
4. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the whipping cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to spread.
5. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

Assemble

1. With a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half, horizontally. You will now have four cake layers (optional).
2. Place one of the cake layers, top of the cake facing down, onto your serving platter. 
3. Spread the cake layer with a layer of frosting.  
4. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting and continue to frost and stack the cake layers. 
5. Frost the top and sides of the cake.

Butterscotch Cake

Ingredients

Cake
Light Brown Sugar - 2 Cups (about 240 gram)
Butter - 200g
Vanilla - 1 teaspoon
Eggs (medium size) - 2 
Plain Flour - 2 Cups (about 300 gram)
Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon
Baking Soda - 1 teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Buttermilk - 1 Cup (to make buttercream - add 1 spoon white vinegar to warm milk and leave for 5 minutes to let it curdle)

Caramel Icing
Light Brown Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cups (about 220 gram)
Plain Flour - 1 tablespoon
Salted butter - 60 gram (divide in 2 parts)
Milk - 1/4 Cup
Vanilla - 1 teaspoon


Frosting
Unsalted butter - 300 gram
Dark brown sugar - 2 cups (about 270 gram)
Heavy cream - 1 cup
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Cream cheese - 300 gram
Icing sugar - 2 cups (about 200 gram)

Garnish
Pecans (crushed) - 2 cups

Butterscotch Cake

Recipe

Cake Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 180c. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake tins.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer on medium until fluffy.
3. Add vanilla, then add eggs one at a time, beating on low just until they are mixed in.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
5. Add the flour and the buttermilk (alternating one then the other)  into the sugar/egg mixture on low speed.
6. Pour batter into the two 9 inch cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Cool before frosting.

Caramel Icing Recipe

1. In a small saucepan, mix together all ingredients and the extra 30g of butter. Heat over medium and bring to a boil. Stirring frequently to prevent burning, let the mixture boil for a good one minute.
2. Take off the fire and add in the 30g butter. Cool the mixture, occasionally giving it a vigorous stir, until it is still warm (but not HOT) and has thickened enough to spread. 
3. Spread it over the cake, moving fairly quickly because it will set as it cools. It will be a thin coating, not a thick layer. 
4. Let it set completely before frosting.

Frosting Recipe

1. Beat the butter, brown sugar until creamy.
2. Add the cream cheese, powder sugar, salt and beat until thickened.
3. Add heavy cream, and whip it in a mixer.
4. Spread all over the cake and pipe the rest.
5. Press chopped pecans on sides, and garnish the top with halves.

Butterscotch Cake

Vegetable Pilau

A popular vegetable rice dish that makes a tasty light supper.


Ingredients

225 g/8 oz/1 cup basmati rice
30 ml/2 tbsp oil
2.5 ml/1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
50 g/2 oz//3 cup frozen peas, thawed
50 g/2 oz/ 1/3 cup frozen sweetcorn, thawed
25 g/l oz//4 cup cashew nuts, lightly fried
1.5 ml/1/4 tsp ground cumin
Salt


Recipe

1. Wash the basmati rice in several changes of cold water. Put into a bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak for about 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the cumin seeds for 2 minutes. Add the bay leaves, cardamoms and cloves and fry for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add the onion and fry for 3minutes, until softened and lightly browned.
4. Stir in the carrot and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5. Drain the rice and add to the pan together with the peas, sweetcorn and cashew nuts. Fry for 4- 5 minutes.
6. Add 475 ml/16 fl oz/2 cups 6water, ground cumin and salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes over a low heat until all the water is absorbed. Leave to stand, covered, for 10 minutes, before serving.
7. Serves 4-6

Carrot and Coconut soup

A satisfying soup which is delicately spiced and is a perfect autumn warmer.

Ingredients

Carrots (trimmed and sliced) - 500 gram
Potato (peeled and sliced) - 1
Onion (finely chopped) - 1
Garlic clove (chopped) - 1
Ginger (grated) - 1 teaspoon
Red chilli (chopped) - 1

Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala powder - 1 teaspoon
Lemon Juice - 2 teaspoon
Orange/Lemon zest - 4 teaspoon

Coconut milk - 200 gram


Recipe

1. Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid. 
2. Tip in the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli, then cook for 3-5 mins until soft. 
3. Stir in the garam masala powder, followed by the carrots, potato and zest, then cover and cook over a low heat for 10 mins more.
4. Give the coconut milk can a shake, then pour most of it into the pan.
5. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 15 mins until the carrots are really soft. 
6. Add lemon juice.
7. Use a food processor to whizz until smooth. 
8. Ladle into bowls and top with a swirl of reserved coconut milk and an extra sprinkling of curry powder, if you like.

Note: Add a teaspoon of Kasoori methi and/or 2 tablespoon of coriander for added flavour

Apple and cinnamon cake

Ingredients
4 apples
1 tbsp cinnamon
4 tbsp sugar
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
4 eggs
6 oz (180g) butter, softened
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup milk
1/4 cup flaked almonds
1/4 tsp cinnamon 


Recipe

1. Preheat the oven at 350ºF (180ºC). 
2. Grease a spring-form pan. 
3. Peel and slice the apples. Toss them with 1 tbsp cinnamon and 4 tbsp sugar. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. In another bowl, cream the softened butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
7. Fold the sifted flour alternately with milk.
8. Pour half the batter in then spread the apples. 
9. Pour the remaining batter. 
10. Combine the flaked almonds with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the cake.
11. Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Marble Cake

Ingredients

Plain flour - 250 gram

Unsalted butter (softened) - 200 gram

Caster sugar - 200 gram

Milk (full-fat) - 40 ml 

Vanilla extract - ½ tea spoon

Eggs (large) - 3

Baking powder - 3 tea spoon

Cocoa powder (unsweetened) - 2 tea spoon

Icing sugar (for dusting)

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven 180C.
2. Line a 1kg loaf tin with baking parchment.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, 180g of the sugar and the vanilla extract together until the mixture is light and fluffy. 
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
5. Add the baking powder.
6. Sift the flour over the mixture.
7. Fold in with 2 tbsp of the milk.
8. Spoon two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared loaf tin – it should fill the tin three-quarters of the way.
9. Sift the cocoa in the remaining third of the mixture and fold in, together with the remaining milk and 20g of sugar.
10. Spoon the chocolate mixture over the cake mixture in the tin, then run a fork through both mixtures, gently swirling the two together to create a marbled effect.
11. Be careful not to swirl the mixtures together too much as you want to leave an obvious marble effect.
12. Bake for 55–70 minutes, until the cake shrinks slightly from the sides of the tin. Test it is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre and it comes out clean (test the cake after 55 minutes).
13. Remove the cake from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack. 
14. Once cooled, dust with icing sugar.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares (No-Bake)

Ingredients

Butter - 150 gram

Dark chocolate - 150 gram

Milk chocolate - 50 gram

Digestive biscuits - 250 gram

Soft light brown sugar - 200 gram

Crunchy peanut butter - 300 gram

Vanilla extract - 1 tea spoon

Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares

Recipe

1. Line a baking tin with parchment paper.
2. Melt the butter in a large pan over a low heat.
3. Blitz the biscuits and brown sugar in a a food processor to give fine crumbs. 
4. Add to melted butter. 
5. Add peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix together.
6. Tip the mixture into the lined tin and press it down really hard with the back of the spoon.
7. Melt the dark chocolate into a small bow (sit the bowl over a pan over simmering water, make sure that the bottom of the pan does not touch the water or the chocolate may ‘seize’ and go really grainy and stiff)
8. Pour over the melted dark chocolate into the tin, tilting the tin back and forth a bit so that the whole thing is evenly covered. 
9. Melt the milk chocolate, pour over the tin at different places, make swirls with a spoon.
10. Pop in the fridge for 2 hours to firm up.
11. Once the chocolate is set, remove it from the fridge. Lift it out of the tin with the help of the baking parchment. 
12. Use a sharp knife to divide it into squares.

Banana Loaf

Ingredients

Banana (ripe) - 2 

Milk - 2 table spoon
Soft butter - 100 gram
Plain flour - 150 gram
Caster sugar - 150 gram
Bicarbonate of soda - 1 tea spoon
Baking powder - 1 tea spoon
Egg - 2
Caramel flavouring - 1 tea spoon

Dark chocolate chips - 100 gram


Recipe

1. Preheat the oven 160C/325F.
2. Grease and line a 900g / 2lb loaf tin with non-stick baking parchment.
3. Use a fork to mash the peeled banana in a mixing bowl. 
4. Add the remaining cake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and beat with an whisker until combined and smooth.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips and spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Level the top.
6. Bake for 50 minutes or until well risen, shrinking away from the sides of the tin and golden-brown.
7. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.
8. Slice and serve.

Bihari Kabab

Bihari Kabab

Ingredients

Lamb, beef or Chicken (boneless, cut into strips) - 2 KG

Onion - 7(minced) + 1(sliced) large

Garlic Paste - 2 table spoon (3 for beef)

Mustard Oil - 10 table spoon

Red Chilli powder - 2 table spoon

Black Pepper (crushed) - 1 tea spoon

Poppy Seeds - 3 table spoon

Paprika Powder - 2 table spoon

Salt - 3 or 4  tea spoon

Tenderiser (Papaya) - None for chicke, 1 for lamb and 2 table spoon for beef

Curd - 2 table spoon (use only for beef)

Shan Bihari Masala - 1 table spoon

Bihari Kabab

Recipe

1. Mince onion in a mixer.
2. Add minced onion to meat.
3. Add ginger garlic paste, red chilli, black pepper powder, poppy seeds, paprika powder.
4. Add salt.
5. For Beef add tenderiser, optionally for lamb.
6. Add 7 table spoon of mustard oil.
7. Add little bit of curd (with no water in it, only for beef).
8. Mixed them all with meat/chicken.
9. Leave to marinate overnight (2-3 hours for chicken)
10. Fry 1 large sliced onion in mustard oil, add to mix with mustard oil.
11. Add 1 table spoon mustard oil, 1 table spoon paprika, 1 table spoon Shaan Bihari Masala.
12. Grill / Barbecue on skewers

Moussaka

A good moussaka is a joy to behold with cinnamon spiced lamb mingling with aubergines and a delicious creamy sauce.

Moussaka is an eggplant- or potato-based dish, often including ground meat, in the cuisines of the countries of the former Ottoman Empire, with many local and regional variations. 

In Turkey, it is sauteed and served in the style of a casserole, and consumed warm or at room temperature. In Arabic countries, a variant is eaten cold. In the Balkans, the dish is layered and typically served hot. Many versions have a top layer made of milk-based sauce thickened with egg (custard) or flour (béchamel sauce).

Moussaka

Ingredients

Aubergines / Brinjal (cut into 1cm/½in slices) - 2

Sea salt - 1  table spoon

Lamb mince - 750g

Onion (finely chopped) - 1

Garlic cloves (crushed) - 2

Oregano (dried) - 1 teaspoon

Mint (dried) - 1½ teaspoon

Bay leaves - 2

Cinnamon stick - 1

Plain flour - 1  table spoon

Chopped tomatoes can - 400g

Tomato puree - 2  table spoon

Olive oil - 7  table spoon

Potatoes (peeled, sliced into 1cm/½in slices) - 500g

Sea salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

For the white sauce

Ricotta - 125g

Parmesan (finely grated) - 25 g

Greek yogurt - 125g

Eggs - 3

Nutmeg (freshly grated) (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

Black pepper (freshly ground)

Moussaka

Moussaka
 

Recipe

1. Place the aubergine pieces in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.
   
2. Heat three tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-based frying pan.
3. Add onions, garlic, oregano, mint, bay leaves and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes
4. Add Lamb mince and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat.
5. Stir in the flour, salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. 
6. Add tomatoes, tomato puree and bring to a simmer. 
7. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened. 
8. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Set aside.
   
9. Rinse the aubergine pieces under cold running water and pat dry in a clean tea towel. 
10. Heat three tablespoons of the oil in a heavy-based frying pan.
11. Fry the aubergines for 2-3 minutes on each side, adding more oil when necessary. 
12. Remove from the pan and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
    
13. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for five minutes, then drain in a colander under running water until cold.
    
14. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C (fan).
    
15. Spoon one third of the meat sauce into a large, shallow ovenproof dish.
16. Cover with a layer of potatoes and a layer of aubergines.
17. Repeat the layers twice more, finishing with the aubergines.
    
18. For the topping, in a bowl, beat together the ricotta, half of Parmesan, Greek yogurt, eggs and grated nutmeg until well combined.
19. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
    
20. Pour over the white sauce, making sure it covers in a thick, even layer.
21. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
    
22. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until deep golden-brown and bubbling.