I'm a moussaka lover and I'm not ashamed to admit it! Unfortunately though I don't make it too often as I find it a bit time-consuming, especially for a mid-week meal. Enter this moussaka-style pasta! It's got all the flavours of a traditional Greek moussaka but it's a fraction of the hassle to make. Hope you give it a go!
Heat the olive oil in a large pan with a lid on a medium heat. Add the onion and aubergine and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 or 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium, put the lid on the pan and cook for about another 5 minutes, stirring every now and again.
Add the meat and brown for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic, cinnamon, allspice and oregano. Stir for a minute, then add the tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir again, then leave to cook with the lid on for about ten minutes, stirring every now and again. Then stir in most of the parsley and season to taste.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a bit of the cooking water.
Tip the cooked pasta into the meat sauce along with some cooking water to make the sauce nice and silky.
Serve out the pasta into bowls, then sprinkle with the feta cheese and the rest of the parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Adapted from Tesco Realfood.I use beef mince when I make this, as I prefer it to lamb and, in any case, moussaka in Greece is more often than not made with beef and not lamb, contrary to popular belief! The choice is ultimately yours, though. Both beef and lamb work well.