Moussaka Recipe

Place the potatoes in a large pan with a pinch of salt, cover with cold water and place over a high heat for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender enough to insert the point of a sharp knife. Drain the potatoes, then set aside to cool.
Wipe any residual moisture from the pan, then return it to a medium heat and add two of the tablespoons of oil. Let the oil heat through for a moment, then add the onion to the pan, reduce the heat a little and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the cooked leftover lamb to the pan, along with the sliced garlic and spices, and stir well to combine, then tip in the tin of tomatoes. Fill the empty tin to half-full with cold water, and add this to the pan, together with the tomato purée. Mix everything well, then turn up the heat to medium and let the sauce come to a simmer. Allow the sauce to bubble away gently for about five minutes, so that the liquid reduces slightly, then remove the pan from the heat. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to your taste, then set aside while you get on with the aubergines.

Switch on your oven, allowing it to preheat to 220°C (200°C fan; Gas Mark 7). Put a couple of sheets of kitchen paper on a dinner plate. Place another tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, shallow frying pan over a medium-high heat, and when the oil is hot, add the aubergine slices. Fry the slices for a few minutes on each side, until golden all over, then transfer them to the kitchen-paper plate to drain (you will probably need to cook the aubergine in batches).
Once this is done, take the cooled potatoes and cut them carefully into 1cm-thick slices. Drizzle the final tablespoon of oil across the base of a deep casserole dish, then line the base with a layer of potato slices. Follow this with a layer of aubergine slices, then spread over enough of the lamb and tomato sauce to cover the aubergines. Repeat these layers until everything is used up – ideally, you want to end with a layer of aubergines, but don’t worry too much if it doesn’t work out this way. Take the crème fraîche and use a spatula to spread it thickly across the top of the moussaka, then scatter the grated cheddar over the top. Put the dish into the hot oven and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the topping is nicely golden brown. Serve while hot, with your favourite green veg or a leafy salad.