Moussaka Doria (Japanese Rice Gratin)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C. Cut the aubergine into 2 cm cubes, finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.

2. Heat the oil in a 24 cm frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the aubergine for 5 min, until golden on all sides and soft in the middle. Tip onto a plate.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 2½ tbspAubergine (eggplant) 180 g

   medium-high heat

3. In the same pan, fry the onion and garlic, then add the beef and break it up with a spatula until no pink remains. Add the tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, cinnamon, oregano, salt and pepper and simmer over medium heat for 10 min, until you have a thick meat sauce with almost no liquid.

   Add in this stepOnion 60 gGarlic (cloves) 1Minced beef 130 gCanned chopped tomatoes 150 gKetchup 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce 2 tspGround cinnamon 1 pinchDried oregano ½ tspSalt and pepper to taste

   medium heat

4. Melt the butter in a small pan, add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Add the milk in three goes, whisking out any lumps each time. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 min, stirring, until it is as thick as yogurt, then season with nutmeg and salt.

   Add in this stepButter (for the sauce) 20 gPlain flour 20 gMilk 220 mlNutmeg 1 pinchSalt and pepper to taste

   medium-low heat

5. Mix the warm rice with the butter, half the parsley and a pinch of salt, then divide it between 2 individual gratin dish(es), about 15 cm across, and level it out.

   Add in this stepCooked rice (warm) 280 gButter (for the rice) 10 gChopped parsley ½ tbspSalt and pepper to taste

6. Top the rice with the meat sauce, then the aubergine, then the béchamel, and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake in the oven at 230°C for 12 min, until bubbling at the edges and the cheese is browned in spots.

   Add in this stepGrated mozzarella 60 gGrated Parmesan 10 g

   oven

7. The dishes will be very hot, so leave them for about 3 minutes, scatter with the remaining parsley and serve on a plate.

   Add in this stepChopped parsley ½ tbsp