veggie moussaka

veggie moussaka:

1. Porcini mushrooms dried 15 to 20 grammes
2. a pair of onions
3. There are two garlic cloves and olive oil.
4. a total of four fresh rosemary sprigs
5. Sage, dried oregano
6. four fresh sprigs of sage
7. 250 millilitres of red wine
8. a container of chickpeas weighing 660 grammes each
   hundred grammes of dry brown lentils
9. 4 bay leaves for freshness
10. 2 tins of excellent plum tomatoes, each weighing 400 grammes
11. 4 huge aubergines that are firm
12. 8 ounces of potatoes
13. semi-skimmed milk, 750 millilitres
14. There are five black peppercorns.
15. 75% butter that is unsalted
16. Plain flour, 75 grammes
17. 50 grammes of feta cheese
18. 50 grammes of pecorino cheese or kefalotyri cheese
19. 2 huge eggs that are free-range

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and gas 4.
2. The porcini should be rehydrated by simply being submerged in boiling water and then being left aside.
3. The onions and garlic should be peeled and sliced very thinly before being placed in a big pan with one tablespoon of oil and prepared to be cooked over medium-low heat. Include one teaspoon of dried oregano in addition to the rosemary and sage leaves that have been removed.
4. After roughly chopping the porcini and keeping the wine that was used to soak them, return them to the pan and cook them for ten minutes, tossing them regularly, until they have become more pliable. Raise the temperature to a high level, then pour in the wine and allow it to boil and cook for a while.
5. All of the chickpeas, including the juice, lentils, and two bay leaves should be stirred in. Scrunch the tomatoes into the mixture using your clean hands, and then pour in the porcini soaking fluid, being sure to throw away the very last piece of the gritty substance.
6. After seasoning with black pepper and sea salt, bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat to a low simmer for one hour, stirring it regularly, or until it has thickened and reduced further.
7. After trimming the aubergines and peeling them with a speed peeler, leaving a little amount of the skin on to produce a stripy look, slice the aubergines into rounds that are one centimetre thick. The salt will suck out the moisture, so place it in a colander, sprinkle it with a generous teaspoon of salt and then leave it in the sink to drain.
8. After peeling the potatoes and slicing them into rough 1.5 centimetre rounds, parboil them for five minutes in a saucepan of salted water that is boiling. Drain, then let to dry by steaming, and finally put on a big roasting pan that is 30 centimetres by 40 centimetres.
9. Season with salt and pepper, spray with oil, then sprinkle with one tablespoon of dried oregano (oregano powder). Coat well, then bake in a single layer for thirty to forty minutes, or until the vegetables are golden brown and soft.
10. While this is going on, wash the aubergines and pat them dry with some kitchen paper. After that, lay them out on a couple big roasting pans.
11. Apply a little coating of oil, sprinkle with pepper and oregano, and then roast the vegetables with the potatoes for thirty to forty minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through.
12. In a saucepan, bring the milk, the remaining two bay leaves, and the peppercorns to a simmer over medium-low heat. Be sure to keep a close watch on the mixture. Before it reaches a boil, pour the liquid into a jug, then clean the pan and put it back on the stove over medium heat.
13. In order to make a paste, first melt the butter, and then whisk in the flour. If you want a smooth and creamy sauce, begin adding the hot milk a splash at a time, stirring after each addition, and continue doing so until you have achieved the desired consistency.
14. After crumbling in one-third of the feta and grating in one-third of the kefalotyri, continue to slowly simmer the mixture over a low heat for a another five minutes, or until it becomes thick and smooth. Leave to cool down a little bit.
15. Assemble the dish by first spreading half of the ragù over the potatoes on the tray, and then layering half of the aubergines on top of that. Proceed with the remaining aubergines and ragù in the same manner.
    The eggs should be separated, with the whites being saved for another dish. After whisking the yolks into the sauce, pour it over the aubergines and finish cooking. Sprinkle the remaining cheese with crumbles and grated cheese, then sprinkle it with oil and bake it for forty minutes, or until it is brown.
16. After waiting for half an hour, cut into pieces and serve. Excellent when paired with a Greek salad.