Ingredients

Serves 8

1 onion, finely diced
 2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
300gr lamb mince
200gr veal mince
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cinnamon sticks
250gr crushed tomatoes
Sea salt to taste

Béchamel
100gr unsalted butter
100gr flour
600ml milk
1 egg beaten
100gr grated kefalograviera cheese

2 eggplants, sliced 1cm thick
3 medium desiree potatoes, sliced 1cm thick
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Cypriot Grain Salad

1 bunch coriander shredded
½ bunch parsley shredded
½ red onion finely diced
1 cup freekah (or cracked wheat)
½ cup puy lentils
2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp toasted slivered almonds
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 tbsp baby capers
½ cup currants
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive
Sea salt to taste
1 cup thick Greek yoghurt
1 tsp cumin seeds toasted and ground
1 tbsp honey

Method

Meat sauce
Sauté onion, garlic and oregano in 1 tablespoon olive oil until tender.
Add both minces and stir continuously until no mince lumps remain.
Add tomato paste, crushed tomato and cinnamon and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove cinnamon and season to taste.

Béchamel
Melt butter in a heavy based saucepan.
Add flour, stir over a low heat for 1 minute.
Whisk in warm milk, turn up the heat and stir continuously until thick.
Cover with lid and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Whisk in kefalograviera and beaten egg until smooth.

Assemble
Pre heat oven 180 degrees. 
Brush eggplant and potato slices with olive oil and grill until tender and season to taste.
Spread a thick layer of meat sauce over the bottom of baking dish.
Next add a layer of sliced potato, followed by a layer of eggplant.
Top with béchamel then bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.

Cypriot Grain Salad
Blanch freekah and puy lentils separately in boiling water until both just cooked.
Drain well and allow to cool.
Mix the yoghurt, cumin and honey till combined.
In a medium bowl place the coriander, parsley, red onion, freekah, puy lentils, toasted nuts, capers, currants, lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well, season to taste.

 

Place into serving dish and top with cumin yoghurt.