I’ve never really thought about moussaka until recently when I was craving lasagne but wanting a low carb alternative. The only downside is that like lasagne this is a bit time consuming but I’ve kept it as simple as possible!

enough for 3-4
takes an hour
3 medium eggplant
450g (1lb) minced (ground) beef or lamb
700g (3cups) tomato passata (puree NOT concentrated tomato paste)
300g (1 1/4cups) sour cream
2 handfuls grated parmesan
baby spinach or salad leaves, to serve

1. Preheat your oven to 200C (400F). Slice eggplant about 1/2 inch (1cm) thick. Place on an oven tray and drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

2. Roast eggplant until really soft – about 30 minutes, turning about half way.

3. Meanwhile, brown meat in a hot pan with a little oil. Then add the tomato and simmer for 10 minutes or so. Taste and season with salt if needed.

4. Cover the base of an oven proof dish with the meat (mine was 22cmx28cm / 8inx11in but it doesn’t need to be exact). Layer over the cooked eggplant and top with remaining meat.

5. Mix sour cream and Parmesan then spread carefully over the top. Depending on the size of your dish it may not completely cover so I leave some space around the edges (see photo).

6. Bake 200C for about 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly and browned on top. Serve with salad on the side.

Variations

vegetarian – replace beef with cooked lentils or beans.

dairy-free / paleo – replace the sour cream and parmesan with a few handfuls almond meal or soft bread crumbs. Scatter over the top to give a lovely crust.

vegan – combine the vegetarian and dairy-free options.

more veg – feel free to layer in other cooked veg like roast zucchini, capsicum (bell peppers) or mushrooms.

carb lovers – add in a few layers of lasagne sheets and expect to cook for longer.

short on time – skip the layering and roasting part.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

eggplant – will keep for a few weeks in a plastic bag in the fridge. For longer, sliced and rub with oil and grill until soft and browned. Can be frozen if needed.

minced (ground) beef or lamb – freeze it.

tomato passata – keep it in the pantry.

sour cream – keeps for weeks in the fridge.

parmesan – wrap in waxed paper or baking paper and store in the fridge in a sealed paper bag or airtight container. Will keep for months. Can be frozen if you’re going away.

baby spinach or salad leaves – are highly perishable. My first path would be to use them for another meal (salad for breakfast!) but if that isn’t possible you can pop them in the freezer. They will wilt down but can then be used anywhere you’d use wilted greens. At least this way they wont go slimey.

Prepare Ahead

Yes! Just cook as per the recipe but keep the baby spinach / salad separately. Will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks or can be frozen.