Makes 4 1/2 cups

• 60g butter, chopped
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 4 1/2 cups milk
• 75g parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• a pinch of white pepper
• good pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 egg

In a medium sausepan place the milk, flour, butter, salt and pepper.

place the pan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly for 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce comes to the boil, thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat.

Stir in parmesan, salt, nutmeg and the egg.

by the time you put the egg in, give it a good whisk to avoid from becoming omelet .

200 gr soya mince

5 grated tomatoes or a canned tomato

1 tablespoon tomato paste

5 tablespoons soy sauce

1  large onion chopped

  3 garlic cloves chopped

, 3 bay leaves

  3 balls allspice

,1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons grated yellow cheese

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 olive oil or vegetable oil

salt – pepper

Soak soya in a bowl of water for 10 -15 minutes and drain well.

In a bowl put the  chopped onion and garlic, the soy sauce all the spices and mix well.
Place over medium heat a  frying pan, put olive oil  and butter when it gets hot  add the minced soya mixture.

Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 10 to 15 minutes or until it gets dark , add  tomato paste and cook for a minute then add the tomatoes,  sugar and cheese.
Cook over low heat until sauce thicken

Peel eggplants  in stripes, slice them in to 1/2 inch and allow them to rest, before frying, in cold salted water for 20 minutes.
The salt  helps to remove some of the bitterness of the eggplant.
Peel the potatoes a and slice them in 1/4 inch slices.

fry the potatoes and  the eggplants in plenty of olive oil,  when they are golden brown remove from heat and place them on a kitchen toilet paper in order to drain excess of olive oil.
Arrange first the potatoes and after the eggplant slices in a cooking pot,
Add minced soya  sauce on top of eggplant layer and sprinkle with 1/2 of the grated cheese.

Pour the bechamel sauce  and be sure to allow sauce to fill the sides and corners of the pan.
Smooth the bechamel on top with a spatula and sprinkle with remaining grated cheese and breadcrumbs.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until bechamel sauce is a nice golden brown color.
Allow to cool for 15 – 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

Vegans  do not put parmesan cheese, butter and bechamel sauce .
instead use non dairy cheese or tofu, margarine, and  potato puree

for healthier cooking, Lightly oil the potatoes and the eggplants and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes  the eggplants, for 30 minutes   the potatoes .