Musakka

Preparation

1. 01

   Soaking in salted water

   Peel the aubergines in alternating stripes and cut into 1 cm thick round slices. Soak in salted water for 20 minutes, then drain and pat dry with kitchen paper.

2. 02

   Frying

   Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the aubergine slices until golden on both sides. Transfer the fried aubergines to kitchen paper to drain.

3. 03

   Sautéing

   Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a separate saucepan. Fry the finely chopped onions until softened and translucent.

4. 04

   Sautéing

   Add the minced meat and continue frying until the liquid has evaporated. Once the minced meat is fully cooked, add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute.

5. 05

   cooking over low heat

   Add the tomato purée and fry for 1 minute. Then add the diced tomatoes, caster sugar, black pepper, and chilli flakes. Cook over low heat until the tomatoes have softened.

6. 06

   Layering

   Arrange half of the fried aubergine slices in a single layer on the base of a large, deep saucepan. Spread the entire minced meat sauce over the top. Arrange the remaining aubergine slices over the sauce. Pour the hot water around the edges.

7. 07

   Cooking over low heat and resting

   Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes. Once the cooking time is up, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm or hot.