RECIPE | MOUSSAKA SOUVLAKI

A take on a Greek classic. Moussaka meets Souvlaki.

Approached to enter my first ever 'food blogger' competition I thought I would give it a go. Asked by Villa Plus to do my own take on a popular dish from Cyprus I chose the traditional meat dish Moussaka. Another traditional dish from the region is a kebab also known as Souvlaki. Mixing the two together I came up with a great combination which was light, tasty, cheap and easy to make.

All the ingredients used in this dish were sourced from Leeds Kirkgate Market. Shockingly affordable, for four kebabs this meal comes in at £1.17 per person which would quite happily feed a family of four for a lunch or light dinner.

Ingredients (to feed four):

For each person allow one flatbread or pitta bread.

Meatballs:

200g Beef Mince

200g Pork Mince

2 Cloves of Garlic

2 Spring Onions

1tsp Chopped Mint

1tsp Chopped Coriander

1tsp Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley

1 Egg

Salt and Pepper to season

Flour to dust

Aubergine and Tomato Relish:

4 Tomatoes

1 Aubergine

1 Red Onion

1/2 tsp Sugar

1tbsp Tomato Puree

3tbsp Water

Cheese Sauce:

100g Cream Cheese

50ml Milk

2tbsp Flour

1/2 tsp of Horseradish or French Mustard (Optional)

Instructions:

1. Start with the tomato and aubergine relish by dicing the tomatoes, aubergine and red onion into small cubes. Add to a hot frying pan with a dash of your chosen oil (I use extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil). Add the tomato puree and then saute the vegetables for 5-10 minutes util a chunky paste has formed, adding water when needed and the sugar at the final stage of cooking. Leave to cool.

2. In a bowl, mix the beef mince, pork mince, chopped spring onions, minced garlic and seasoning and bind with a beaten egg. Roll into 12 meatballs and coat with plain flour.

3. In a frying pan, place on a high heat and a good glug of oil until the pan is very hot. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes, turning the meatballs regularly until cooked.

4. Whilst the meatballs are cooking, make the cheese sauce by melting the cream cheese with the milk over a low heat in a sauce pan, once the two have melted together, add the horseradish/mustard if desired, followed by the plain flour and stir until a sauce-like consistency appears.

5. Take the flatbread/pitta and spread a generous layer of the tomato and aubergine relish down the centre. Top with three meatballs and then drizzle with the cheese sauce. Repeat for the other flatbreads.