Adapting recipes for that food hourglass look

Today I have adapted a lovely vegetarian moussaka recipe from the original Delia Smith. It's a great food hourglass recipe, because it contains lots of lentils, which are a good source of protein and there are no potatoes. 

Food hourglass moussaka

2 aubergines
10 fl oz stock
100g puy or green lentils
Olive oil
2 onions chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped finely or crushed
A large can of chopped tomatoes (400g tin)
7 fl oz red wine
2 tablespoon tomato purée
1 teas ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried
Salt and black pepper

Topping
15 fl oz soya or oat milk
40 g soya or buckwheat flour
 oil 
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
14 oz ricotta cheese
2 small eggs
40-50 g Parmesan
Salt and ground black pepper

Method
Take some of the liquid out of the aubergines by cutting them into 1 cm circles, sprinkling with salt and pressing them under a weight in a colander for 30 mins.

Cook the puy lentils in the stock for 30 minutes at a simmer,. If you are using green lentils they need only 15 minutes. When they cook, add three or four tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan and fry the onions for about 10 minutes, until starting to brown. Add garlic for another minute then empty the content of pan onto a plate for later.

Take the aubergines and squeeze them dry. Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and fry for about ten minutes, letting them brown evenly by moving them around. Add the tomatoes, the onion and pepper mix. Then mix the wine, cinnamon and tomato purée 
together in a bowl before adding to the aubergine mixture. Add the lentils and parsley and let it all simmer together.

For the topping mix the soya milk into the the flour gradually, then pour into a pan with the olive oil, nutmeg and add salt and pepper. Heat gently and stir all the time until it comes to a simmer and forms a smooth sauce. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes befor adding the eggs and the ricotta. 

Transfer the vegetable and lentil mix to a casserole dish, pour the topping over it, sprinkle with Parmesan and cook in an oven pre heated to gas mark 4, 350F (180C) or160 for fan assisted ovens.

 Allow the moussaka to rest for the flavours to mingle for a few minutes before serving.


It came out tasting exotic and delicious. I made a large quantity so that I could eat some for tea, give some to Lucy and Mr J and save some for tomorrow, freezing the remainder. 


I have made meal plans for myself and for Rob and shopped in Whitby for all the ingredients for my week of lunches and evening meals. On the menu this week is the moussaka above, a great nut roast recipe which I found on Pinterest, which I'll share later in the week, and I made Rob a huge steak and Guinness cheesy pie to chomp, courtesy of Jamie Oliver. ( this has little in the way of food hourglass credentials, but Rob loves it).