Susie’s Ninja Baked Moussaka

This is one of my favourite recipes, and the title is a bit misleading, it is mine from the aspect that it is my go to recipe, but all credit must go to Delia Smith as it came from her cookery book “Delia’s Complete Cookery Course” which is still available to buy.

Below is the recipe for this Moussaka from that book, she has done other versions, but this is one I did on my YouTube channel which is slightly modified to what I had in and I cooked this using my Ninja Airfryer.

• 450g minced beef
• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 medium aubergines, cut into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. I only had one, but it still worked out ok
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree
• 3. floz red wine
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Olive oil, or your preferred option for cooking
• 1 tbs fresh chopped parsley
• Salt and black pepper

For the topping

• 3 oz plain flour (75g)
• 3 oz butter
• 1 pint milk
• 2. oz Cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 eggs

1. Half an hour before you want to begin cooking, you need to prepare the aubergines (eggplant), lightly salted and placed into a colander, compressing them by placing a weight on them so that it removes some of the moisture from them.
2. In a small bowl mix together the wine, cinnamon and tomato puree
3. Fry onion and garlic, fry until softened
4. Add the minced beef until it starts to go crispy, break up any lumps
5. Pour the tomato wine mix over the minced beef stir well and turn the heat down to a low simmer while you move onto the aubergines
6. Remove the aubergines from the colander and place them on kitchen paper, then pat them dry
7. Heat some olive oil in another frying pan, then fry each one to a golden-brown on both sides, then return them to the kitchen paper
8. Butter a casserole dish or in my case two of those small glass dishes for the Ninja
9. Place a layer of the cooked mincemeat and then a layer of aubergines

The next step is to make up the topping for the moussaka.

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour until smooth
2. Add the milk gradually, smooth white stirring sauce, stirring vigorously with each addition of the milk until you have a smooth white sauce, this is a roux and the basis for many different sauces
3. Stir in the grated cheese until fully integrated then put aside to allow it to cool enough that when you add the eggs that the will not cook when added. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper
4. Whisk and up 2 eggs, then whisk them into your cooled roux
5. Pour the sauce over your casserole and sprinkle with nutmeg
6. Bake for 30 to 60 minutes at 180c, depending on the size of you moussaka and whether you are using the Ninja or a traditional oven.

You can watch me do this here on my YouTube Channel, any questions, please ask on the YouTube comments section.