INGREDIENTS:

• 125ml pasta rice
• 60ml olive oil
• 1 large eggplant, thinly sliced lengthways
• 15ml olive oil, extra
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled, grated
• 1 celery stick, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 500g lamb mince
• 30ml tomato paste
• 80ml Umami paste
• 1 x 400g can diced tomatoes
• Handful mixed herbs, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 250g Greek yoghurt
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• Ground cinnamon and nutmeg, to dust
• 30ml chopped fresh mint

METHOD:

Cook the pasta rice in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions. Once cooked, drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat some of the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add three or four eggplant slices and cook for three minutes each side, or until tender and slightly golden.

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.

Repeat, in three more batches, with the remaining oil and eggplant, reheating the pan between batches.

Heat the extra oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook for four minutes, or until soft.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the lamb mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for five to six minutes, or until the mince browns.

Add the tomato paste and Umami paste and stir until well combined.

Add tomato and herbs and stir until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta rice.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Spread the mince mixture into a baking dish. Arrange the eggplant, overlapping slightly, over the mince mixture to cover.

Combine the yoghurt and egg in a bowl. Pour over the eggplant and spread evenly.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the yoghurt is just set. Dust with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Sprinkle with the mint to serve.

SERVES: Six

TIME: One hour